Telecom's fingers in Obama transition team

If there was any doubt that former Federal Communications Chairman Reed Hundt would have his fingers in an Obama administration, they were laid to rest. Hundt and several others mixing politics and telecommunications are on the O-man's government agency review teams, including a group VP from Level 3 who is a co-chair of the agency review process

Hundt is getting the most ink because of his high-profile/high-podium stances on everything from a national broadband policy to how the 700 MHz Block D FCC auctions should have been handled. Hundt was Chairman of Frontline Wireless, a company that had planned to bid on the D block spectrum but backed out because the license rules weren't clear enough.

A contributor and advisor to the Obama campaign, Hundt will survey international trade and economics agencies and give advice to the President-elect on policy. He will also keep the new administration's nominees for positions prepped and informed when they go to Capital Hill for confirmation.

Reed apparently didn't raise as much money as Don Gips, a group vice president on leave from Level 3 Communications. Gips serves as one of three co-chairs supervising an 11 member agency review group and was chief domestic policy advisor to Al Gore back in the day.

We're taking a liking to Tom Wheeler, currently on leave from Core Capital Partners and tasked with review of science, technology, space and arts agencies - the good stuff. Wheeler was formerly with NCTA and CTIA, so he knows both wireline and wireless. He recently wrote an article saying Congress needs to focus on IP commonality for public safety communications and has written a book on Lincoln's mastery of the telegraph during the Civil War. Dood!

For more:
- Ars Technica has the full story on Hundt. Article [1].