House Commerce FCC Detailee Desai Potential Nominee for Agency
The White House is considering House Communications Subcommittee FCC detailee Parul Desai as a candidate for a third Democratic FCC seat, officials and lobbyists told us. Desai has been Communications’ FCC detailee since September 2019. She was previously FCC Enforcement…
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Bureau Telecom Consumers Division deputy director, a Media Bureau Audio Division attorney adviser and the commission’s open internet ombudsperson right after its rescinded 2015 net neutrality rules took effect (see 1506150057). Desai was also a lawyer for Consumers Union and the Media Access Project. Her role as the ombudsperson is seen as a reason she’s in contention now. President Joe Biden’s eventual nominee for the third FCC Democratic slot is considered crucial to any effort to update net neutrality rules (see 2101060055). Biden also wants people of color in tech policy leadership roles, lobbyists said. Officials weren’t sure whether Desai has a better chance of getting the nod than others including DLA Piper’s Smitty Smith (see 2104280057). Biden faces pressure from Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell of Washington and other Democrats to announce nominees for FCC, FTC and NTIA vacancies. Desai and the White House didn’t comment Wednesday.