Outgoing Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Nathan Simington endorsed his chief of staff, Gavin Wax, to take the seat he will soon vacate.
Simington, who has remained in office since his term expired last June, praised Wax’s readiness to step into the role. Wax, 31, previously served as president of the New York Young Republican Club and has been Simington’s top aide since April.
If appointed, Wax would become the youngest FCC commissioner ever confirmed; his confirmation would restore the FCC’s quorum and give Republicans a 2-1 edge, while two other seats — including President Donald Trump’s pending GOP pick Olivia Trusty and an as-yet-unnamed Democratic nominee — await Senate confirmation.
“I think the world of Gavin,” Simington told the Daily Caller News Foundation Saturday. “I was not surprised to hear that the president’s interested in him. Obviously this is the president’s call and it’s not my job to tell the president who to nominate, but I would certainly not be unhappy. In fact, I’d be very happy to see Mr. Wax on.” (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: FCC Commissioner Wants Regulatory ‘Cows’ Lined Up ‘For The Slaughterhouse’)
Simington highlighted Wax’s rapid mastery of telecom policy and emphasized their shared vision for bolstering the financial sustainability of free, over-the-air broadcasting, which Simington described as crucial for local journalism and emergency weather alerts nationwide.
“Gavin and I have spent a great deal of time talking about the necessity of maintaining the financial viability of over-the-air broadcast,” Simington explained to the DCNF. “It’s a vital source of local journalism and local meteorology for most of the country, and there’s no clear replacement if it goes away.”
He also emphasized Wax’s commitment to First Amendment principles, calling him a “big free speech guy” and noting that Trump “has a long history of smart and courageous outside-the-box picks that are not drawn from the usual suspects.”
A person close to Wax outlined three top priorities if he wins confirmation. First, he wants to “level the playing field” by subjecting streamers to the same content rules as broadcasters. Second, he would “trim the fat” in the Media Bureau to speed decisions. Third, he hopes to “accelerate re-industrialization so America is never again dependent on Beijing or Silicon Valley monopolies” for telecom infrastructure. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: FCC Commissioner Warns Chinese Tech Still ‘Phoning Home’ To Beijing)
The outgoing commissioner highlighted the evolving challenges facing the FCC as telecommunications infrastructure becomes increasingly critical to sectors beyond traditional phone and television services.
“We’ve seen telecom move off the phone … [and assume] increasingly load-bearing roles in many areas of our lives, such as in the functioning of the financial system, or utilities, logistics, manufacturing,” Simington said.
This technological shift represents what Simington called “the challenge for this commission going forward,” with Wax well-suited to navigate these complex regulatory waters.
Simington indicated he plans to continue supporting the president’s agenda from outside government, though he declined to discuss specific post-commission employment plans while still bound by federal ethics rules.
“In this changing environment, I think Gavin Wax would be very well placed to navigate these waters,” the commissioner said.
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