Key facts
- President Donald Trump nominated Danielle Thumann Severs, a Republican lawyer, to the Federal Communications Commission.
- The nomination, if confirmed, would give Republicans a 3-1 majority on the five-member commission.
- This move deviates from the historical norm of presidents ensuring only a one-vote majority for their party.
- Democrats have voiced concerns about the lack of a bipartisan pairing for the nomination.
- US law restricts any single party from holding a supermajority on the FCC.
President Donald Trump has nominated Danielle Thumann Severs, a Republican lawyer and senior counsel to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, to join the Federal Communications Commission. This nomination, if confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate, would establish a 3-1 Republican majority on the commission, deviating from the historical norm of maintaining only a one-vote majority for the president's party.
Historically, FCC commissions have typically operated with a 3-2 split between the president's party and the minority party. However, during Trump's second term, the FCC has functioned with a 2-1 Republican advantage due to vacant seats. The nomination of Thumann Severs aims to solidify Republican control.
Democrats have expressed concerns about this move, with Senator Maria Cantwell stating that the lack of a paired Democratic nominee for the commission's fifth seat will be problematic. Senate Democrats advocate for a bipartisan approach to filling commission seats to ensure balance. The Supreme Court's recent ruling affirming presidential power to remove commissioners from independent agencies, such as the FTC, has raised speculation that Trump might remove the FCC's sole Democrat, Anna Gomez, to achieve a 3-0 Republican majority. However, Trump has so far resisted firing Gomez.
US law prohibits any single political party from holding a supermajority on the FCC, stipulating that the maximum number of commissioners from the same party cannot exceed the minimum number required for a majority. This legal constraint means Republicans cannot hold all four seats on a four-member commission. Analysts suggest that Trump may not nominate a Democrat to fill the remaining vacancy, potentially opting for a non-Republican or independent who aligns with the Republican agenda to avoid violating the supermajority law while still securing a strong Republican advantage.