(Audio) Starks announces his departure from the FCC.

Commissioner Geoffrey Starks makes his departure announcement from the FCC along with remarks from Carr, Simington and Gomez.

FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks (D) has announced at the end of today’s FCC Open Meeting that this would be his last meeting as a FCC Commissioner. As previously reported, Starks announced that he would be leaving the Commission “later in the spring”.

The included audio clip was from today’s Open Meeting. First, we will hear from Commissioner Starks announcing his departure, followed by remarks about his departure from Chairman Brendan Carr, Commissioner Nathan Simington and Commissioner Anna Gomez. We will also hear a comments made by Commissioner Gomez during the post-meeting press conference answering a question about how she sees the dynamics of the Commission shifting with the departure of Starks.

In answer to another press question about whether Anna Gomez could be “fired” by the President, Chairman Carr stated that the Commission works different than other agencies because of provisions of the Communications Act where Commissioners cannot be fired at the will of the President.

With Starks’ departure, the Commission will be reduced to three members, two Republicans and one Democrat. The Communications Act only requires three Commissioners to be on the bench for there to be a quorum.

REC Networks thanks Commissioner Starks and his staff for their work and support, especially in issues related to items of concern to REC, including LPFM. He will be missed here in Riverton.