FCC Chairman William Kennard received his third scathing letter in a week from Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain.

Broadcasting & Cable, December, 1998

FCC Chairman William Kennard received his third scathing letter in a week from Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.), this time questioning the competence of the commission's public affairs staff. McCain was incensed over comments by commission staff that appeared in The Wall Street Journal.

"As a former General Counsel of the agency, I am sure you are aware that it is absolutely essential that commission staff be circumspect in any discussion of pending matters," McCain wrote. "I would hope that your Office of Public Affairs possesses enough baseline competence to assist you in this endeavor ..." McCain also has written Kennard two letters in the past two weeks criticizing Kennard's plans to change the broadcast ownership rules.