We won't have Kevin Martin to kick around anymore.
The FCC chairman said Thursday that he is “moving on” from the commission.
Martin made the comment as part of a farewell speech at Thursday’s (Jan. 15) commission meeting, ending speculation that he might stay on for a significant length of time as an associate commissioner after the presumed assignment of one of the Democratic commissioners as interim chairman.
Martin set Jan. 20 as his departure date, which will leave the commission with a 2-1 Democratic majority.
President-Elect Obama is widely expected to nominate venture capitalist and former FCC counsel Julius Genachowski as chairman, and must also appoint a Republican commissioner to bring the panel to a 3-2 split. Those nominations require approval by the Senate.
Martin is taking a position as Senior Fellow at the Aspen Institute, a Washington think tank. Former FCC Chairmen Michael Powell, William Kennard and Reed Hundt also took jobs there upon leaving the commission.
