Thumann Severs needs approval from the committee and then the full Senate to be confirmed to the FCC. Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is trying to get her approved before Republicans have to give up their Senate majority.
Thumann Severs would give Republicans an unusual 3-1 advantage on the FCC, which usually operates with a 3-2 split. Democrats criticized Republicans for not pairing her nomination with a Democratic one. The commission has only one Democrat, Anna Gomez, and she would have to leave at the end of 2027 if she is not given another term.
“For many decades, the Senate has paired commission nominees: A Republican and a Democrat moving together,” Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) said. “Congress established the FCC as an independent, bipartisan agency… a bipartisan FCC is essential to avoid things like large-scale media consolidation, and I think also more fundamentally to protect a free and diverse press.”
Carr’s threat to ABC “were his words… not my words”
Because US law requires the FCC to have three commissioners for a quorum, Gomez’s “presence in the current 2-1 Republican majority is necessary for the FCC to conduct business,” Hickenlooper said. The Communications Act prohibits a single party from holding more FCC seats than is necessary to form a majority, but Hickenlooper predicted that Trump will fire Gomez to give Republicans a 3-0 stranglehold.
“If today’s nominee is confirmed, President Trump could then fire Commissioner Gomez and have an FCC with no Democratic voice at all,” Hickenlooper said.
Hickenlooper questioned whether Thumann Severs is sufficiently independent from Carr. “Ms. Thumann Severs, your career has largely been spent serving Brendan Carr,” Hickenlooper said. “[You are] currently Chairman Carr’s senior counsel; previously, you were legal advisor to Commissioner Carr. Your official duties include near-daily meetings with Chairman Carr and working to advance his agenda, amplify his messaging.”
