WASHINGTON, D.C. — Jessica Rosenworcel is welcoming a new staff member at the FCC, while “adjustments to policy portfolios for select legal advisors” are transpiring in the Offfice of the Chairwoman.
It could raise eyebrows with Congressional Republicans and the two GOP-aligned members of the Commission, as the new advisor to Rosenworcel is coming from a think tank with one key mission — a “free and open internet.”
Carmen Scurato is now Rosenworcel’s Legal Advisor for Consumer and Public Safety issues.
“I’m excited to welcome Carmen to the FCC as I know we will all benefit from her deep and varied experience working on behalf of consumers and the public,” Rosenworcel said. “We have complex challenges to tackle as an agency, but I’m confident we have the necessary expertise to confront them successfully.”
Scurato joins the Chairwoman’s office from Free Press, where she served as Associate Legal Director and Senior Counsel covering telecommunications, privacy, and technology issues.
That could ruffle feathers with Brendan Carr and Nate Simington, the FCC’s Republican Commissioners, as each support the belief that “Title II” classification of Internet service providers is not the solution to ensuring online connectivity is equal for all users.
Scurato previously served as VP of Policy and General Counsel for the National Hispanic Media Coalition, where she led a policy team focused on advancing the communication needs of the Hispanic community.
And, with her appointment by Rosenworcel, Scurato could be primed as a potential replacement nominee for the fifth FCC Commissioner seat by President Joe Biden; his selection of controversial nominee Gigi Sohn is all but dead on Capitol Hill, nearly 600 days after her selection by the White House.
Yet, Free Press co-CEO Jessica J. González joined former FCC Commissioner Gloria Tristani in penning a New York Daily News opinion piece under the scintillating title, “Why all Democrats should stand up for Gigi Sohn: The FCC nominee is being hung out to dry.” The Free Press website also offers a link to the commentary from Gonzalez and Tristani.
Scurato’s resume also includes a previous role at the Commission, as she served on the FCC’s Consumer Advisory Committee.
A Puerto Rico native, Scurato has also worked with the Department of Justice in both the Civil Frauds section, specializing in False Claims Act investigations, and in the Office of Legislative Affairs.
Meanwhile, David Strickland will now serve as Legal Advisor for Media; Ethan Lucarelli will serve as the Legal Advisor for Wireless and International issues; and Ramesh Nagarajan will serve as Rosenworcel’s Legal Advisor for Wireline and Enforcement related issues.
Strickland previously served as Assistant Bureau Chief in the Enforcement Bureau, managing consumer protection, privacy, and media enforcement matters. Lucarelli formerly worked as the legal and policy advisor to the Bureau Chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. Nagarajan was previously the Deputy Division Chief of the Competition Policy Division within the Wireline Competition Bureau.
