FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, the senior Democratic Commissioner, announced he’s leaving the agency “this spring.” He says he sent a letter to President Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) advising them of his decision on Tuesday.
His departure will leave two vacancies on the commission, as the Senate has not yet confirmed Olivia Trusty, a Republican nominated earlier this year by President Trump, to the other spot. He did not give a reason for his exit, but Punchbowl News reported in December that he was looking to leave his post.
Before he was appointed Commissioner, the Kansas native was Assistant Bureau Chief of the Enforcement Bureau. Starks was nominated by President Trump to fill the rest of Mignon Clyburn’s term in 2018. The Senate confirmed Starks as an FCC Commissioner in 2019. In 2023, President Joe Biden re-nominated him for a new term, which ends in 2027.
Starks called serving on the FCC as a Commissioner “the honor of my life.” He added, “With my extraordinary fellow Commissioners and the incredible career staff at the agency, we have worked hard to connect all Americans, promote innovation, protect consumers, and ensure national security. I have learned so much from my time in this position, particularly when I have heard directly from Americans on the issues that matter to them. I have been inspired by the passion, engagement and commitment I have seen from colleagues, advocates, and industry.”
Before he entered federal public service, Commissioner Starks practiced law at Williams & Connolly and clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit. Prior, he served as a legislative staffer in the Illinois State Senate, and worked as a financial analyst, according to the FCC.
Reacting to the news, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said Starks “has had a tremendous run in public service. From senior leadership roles at the Department of Justice and in the Commission’s own Enforcement Bureau to serving as the Senior Democrat on the Federal Communications Commission, the American people have benefited greatly from Commissioner Starks’ public service.”
“Commissioner Starks led many of the FCC’s national security initiatives, and I welcomed the chance to work closely with him on important matters, including promoting new innovations, protecting consumers, and bringing families across the digital divide,” explained Carr. “Commissioner Starks put in the work and leaves an impressive legacy of accomplishments in public service. I always learned a lot from him and benefited from the many events we held together.” Carr wished Starks, his wife and children his best and said he looks forward to continuing their friendship after Starks’ public service ends.
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, soon to be the sole Democratic Commissioner at the agency, said Stark’s “expertise on national security issues and his deep understanding of the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau have been instrumental in advancing the agency’s mission. Throughout his remarkable career in public service, Commissioner Starks has demonstrated unwavering commitment to protecting consumers and strengthening our communications networks. I wish him the very best in his future endeavors,” Gomez, too, said she looks forward to “their continued friendship.”
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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