Michael Powell (lobbyist)
Michael Powell | |
---|---|
Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission | |
In office January 22, 2001 – January 21, 2005 | |
President | George W. Bush |
Preceded by | William Kennard |
Succeeded by | Kevin Martin |
Personal details | |
Born | Michael Kevin Powell March 23, 1963 Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse |
Jane Knott (m. 1988) |
Children | 2 |
Parents |
|
Relatives | Linda Powell (sister) |
Education | College of William & Mary (BA) Georgetown University (JD) |
Salary | $4,645,202.00 (2015)[1] |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United States |
Branch/service | United States Army |
Years of service | 1985–1988 |
Unit | 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment |
Michael Kevin Powell (born March 23, 1963) is an American attorney and lobbyist who served as the 24th chairman of the
Powell was appointed to the FCC by President Bill Clinton on November 3, 1997, and was chosen by President George W. Bush to serve as chairman of the commission on January 22, 2001. Powell is the son of former Secretary of State Colin Powell and his wife Alma Powell.
Early life and education
Michael Kevin Powell was born in
Career
Powell served as an armor officer in the
After his rehabilitation he served as an expert advisor to the
Federal Communications Commission
As the chairman of the FCC, Powell led the charge to open up markets in
During his tenure as chair, he spoke at the University of California, San Diego on January 26, 2004.[8] In the talk, Powell spoke about the policymaking process in Washington, and about how ultra-wideband might impact telecommunications. While at the FCC, Powell was also the FCC's defense commissioner and oversaw all National Security Emergency Preparedness functions for the Commission.[9]
Powell opposed applying telephone-era regulations to new Internet technologies, a move critics charged would deny
In a notable confrontation over the FCC's local telephone competition rules, Powell was outflanked by Republican
the FCC of many of Powell's staff.Some of Powell's initiatives were challenged in federal court. Notably, the FCC's BrandX
Super Bowl XXXVIII controversy
A defining moment of his tenure as FCC chairman was the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy, in which Janet Jackson's breast was exposed on live-broadcast television. This high-profile incident increased public attention toward the FCC's enforcement of indecency rules, which had already stepped up following Bono's use of an expletive on live TV. Powell himself later said that the controversy was overblown, although he recognized that it would cause concern when he saw it at a Super Bowl party.
In an interview with ESPN The Magazine, he stated, "I think we’ve been removed from this long enough for me to tell you that I had to put my best version of outrage on that I could put on. Part of it was surreal, right? Look, I think it was dumb to happen, and they knew the rules and were flirting with them, and my job is to enforce the rules, but, you know, really? This is what we’re gonna do?" In the aftermath, the FCC processed hundreds times more complaints than they had ever received.[11]
Approach to indecency
Post-FCC work
Powell resigned as chairman of the FCC on January 21, 2005. He said that he was glad to spend more time with his wife. In March 2006, Powell became a member of the board of trustees, for the
Political activity
Described as a "moderate Republican," Powell has been involved with Republican political campaigns. In the 1990s, Powell urged his father, Colin Powell, to run for President.[16] During the 2008 presidential election, Powell advised and supported Republican nominee John McCain, while his father supported Democratic nominee Barack Obama.[17]
In 2012, the
Lobbying and net neutrality
On March 15, 2011, the
As a lobbyist representing the telecommunications companies, Powell published numerous editorials and opinion pieces around the country claiming to support net neutrality and opposing the FCC's enforcement of net neutrality through broadband reclassification as a Title II service.[23]
Personal life
Powell married Jane Knott in 1988; they have two children.
After initial attention from German emergency room doctors, Powell was flown to a U.S. Army hospital in Nuremberg. After being stabilized, he was flown to Washington, D.C., and admitted to Walter Reed Army Medical Center where he spent a year in recovery. To this day, his spine is still fused at its base, forcing him to walk with a slight forward pitch.[6]
References
- ^ "Here's what D.C. region's top trade group CEOs get paid". Retrieved October 31, 2019.
- ^ a b "Biography of Michael K. Powell". Federal Communications Commission. January 18, 2005. Archived from the original on February 20, 2005. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
Michael K. Powell was nominated by President William J. Clinton to a Republican seat on the Commission, and was sworn in on November 3, 1997. He was designated chairman by President George W. Bush on January 22, 2001, and served until March 17, 2005.
- ^ "Michael Powell, Ex-FCC Head, Named Top Cable Industry Lobbyist".
- ^ ISBN 0-345-46641-1– via Google Books.
- ^ "NCS | National Communications System | Press Releases 2001". Archived from the original on 2009-01-17. Retrieved 2012-02-06.
- ^ a b c Currie, Tyler. "Michael Powell - Recently resigned chairman of the Federal Communications Commission". Washington Post. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
- ^ "Statement of Attorney General Janet Reno and Assistant Attorney General Joel I. Klein on the President's Nomination of Michael K. Powell as FCC Commissioner". www.justice.gov. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ FCC's Michael Powell: Charting the Future of the Telecom Industry Archived 2005-11-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "Biography of Michael K. Powell". 26 October 2016.
- ^ Madison River Communications, LLC and affiliated companies Archived 2013-12-08 at the Wayback Machine (order text, PDF)
- ^ Cogan, Marin (January 28, 2014). "In the beginning, there was a nipple". ESPN the Magazine. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
- ^ "Stern confronts FCC chair on call-in show". 27 October 2004.
- ^ TIMOTHY F. GEITHNER, MICHAEL K. POWELL AND MARTA TIENDA JOIN RAND CORPORATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES
- ^ Michael Powell elected rector of College
- ^ Henry C. Wolf '64, J.D. '66 Elected Rector of the College
- ^ "LACKED 'PASSION' TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT, POWELL SAYS". Deseret News. 1995-11-09. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ Perks, Ashley (2008-10-20). "Colin Powell splits with son over White House race". The Hill. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ DeBonis, Mike (2012-08-03). "Is Michael Powell considering a D.C. mayoral run?". Washington Post. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ Avlon, John (28 February 2013). "The Pro-Freedom Republicans Are Coming: 131 Sign Gay Marriage Brief". The Daily Beast.
- ^ NCTA Names Powell President, Multichannel News, March 15, 2011.
- ^ "The Cable Show Video Player :: The Cable Show 2012". Archived from the original on 2012-08-28. Retrieved 2012-08-31.
- ^ "To fight cyberthreats, let's share". Politico. 24 April 2012.
- ^ Powell, Michael (February 28, 2015). "I SUPPORT NET NEUTRALITY, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT THE FCC JUST DID".