Upton, Walden raise concerns about independence of FCC watchdog

In response to reports of disclosure of non-public information, U.S. Reps. Fred Upton (R-MI) and Greg Walden (R-OR) raised concerns about the independence of the Federal Communications Commission Inspector General (IG).

An FCC IG report found the FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler authorized leaking a non-public agreement on Lifeline program caps hours before a public vote was scheduled, leading to the sole Democratic commissioner withdrawing support for the agreement.

In a letter to FCC IG David Hunt, Upton, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Walden, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, sought information about internal processes and procedures governing the relationships between the FCC chairman and inspector general.

“In most agencies, the facts that precipitated congressional action would be cause for the inspector general to take action to ensure that the agency is operating consistent with its statute and other federal laws and regulations,” the letter states. “However, there is growing concern that because the FCC inspector general is appointed by, reports to and is under the general supervision of the chairman of the commission, that the IG is not free to provide the honest and independent criticism that is critical to the performance of the IG’s oversight.”

Upton and Walden cited a number of examples of the “apparent erosion” of the IG’s independence by FCC action, including unfinished reports being shared with the chairman’s office, the FCC human resources involvement in IG hiring decisions, and audit reports being absent from the FCC’s website.

The letter concludes by requesting “information necessary to understand the practical and working relationship between the office of the chairman and the IG” to address concerns about FCC accountability.