Meredith Attwell Baker, one of two Republicans on the Federal Communication Commission, has announced she will step down from her post next month to join Comcast, the nationâs largest cable company.
Baker joined a majority of FCC commissioners in January in approving Comcast’s venture with NBC Universal. According to a Washington Post report, Comcast has said it did not begin negotiating about the job offer until after FCC had approved the deal.
Baker will depart June 3 when her term expires. Nextgov reports she had been expected to be renominated for a second FCC term.
In a statement on FCCâs website, Baker said she planned to seek renomination until late this spring. âNot once in my entire tenure as a commissioner had anyone at Comcast or NBCUniversal approached me about potential employment. When this opportunity became available in mid-April, I made a personal decision that I wanted to give it serious consideration.â
Baker said not only has she complied with all legal and ethical laws, âbut I have also gone further,â she said, adding that she has not voted on any item — related to Comcast/NBCUniversal or not — since entering negotiations.