Sinclair Executive Chairman Met Thune Soon After Trump Tweet
Sinclair Executive Chairman David Smith met Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., within 24 hours of President Donald Trump's tweet last week criticizing the FCC decision to issue a hearing designation order on Sinclair's proposed purchase of Tribune, Thune…
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Export Compliance Daily combines U.S. export control news, foreign border import regulation and policy developments into a single daily information service that reliably informs its trade professional readers about important current issues affecting their operations.
told reporters Wednesday. Trump's tweet angered Democratic lawmakers but is considered unlikely to influence FCC policy (see 1807250057). “Obviously, they aren't happy with the outcome they got from the FCC, but it is what it is,” Thune said. Smith wasn't asking Senate Commerce Republicans to intervene on Sinclair's behalf but “was more just expressing their displeasure with how the process worked,” the senator said. Smith also was planning to meet with some House members about his concerns with FCC handling of Sinclair/Tribune, Thune said. Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., is collecting signatures on a letter to be sent to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai asking him to reconsider the HDO, which Harris called a “de facto death sentence.” Sinclair didn't comment.