Christine Kurth, deputy staff director of the Senate Commerce Committee, has withdrawn herself from consideration for nomination to the FCC.
According to a release from the committee communications staff, Kurth withdrew "because of the strict interpretation of the 'covered relationship' rule as it pertains to the FCC."
If Kurth had been confirmed as a commissioner, her husband, a telecommunications consultant, would have had to quit working, or Kurth would have been forced to recuse herself "from various matters under the FCC's jurisdiction even in situations where her husband was not working on the particular issue."
Kurth was the favored nominee of Sen. Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), who recently confirmed that he and his colleagues are working on a Senate DTV deadline bill.
"While I am disappointed that Christine will not be joining the FCC, I am delighted to have her talents and expertise on the Commerce Committee as we continue our work on telecommunications issues," he said.
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