Committee Sends Sohn FCC Nomination to Senate for Floor Vote

By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief

A divided Senate Commerce Committee voted along party lines Thursday to send Gigi Sohn’s FCC nomination to the full Senate. The vote was 14-14, enabled by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan’s (D-NM) return to the Capitol from his recent stroke. With a tie vote a nominee can get a floor vote, but with no favorable or unfavorable recommendation, according to the Congressional Research Service.   Lujan received a standing ovation from his fellow senators as he entered the room, and thanked well-wishers for all the cards, letters, videos and prayers. It all worked, he said, “and it’s good to be back. I missed you all.”   The rest of the vote was not so cordial. Partisan tensions, which boiled over during Sohn’s two confirmation hearings, were still on display yesterday. Continue Reading