September 13, 1993, issue of Legal Times -- at least he is not speaking for

[David Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

    In an article in the September 13, 1993, issue of Legal Times, the
director of the Taxpayer Assets Project is quoted as being highly critical
of the hiring of "lobbyists" to positions in the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration and its parent agency,
the Commerce Department.
    Purportedly speaking on behalf of a number of "public-interest
advocates," Project Director Jamie Love is quoted,  in Sheila Kaplan
column, "Lobby Talk," as criticizing the recent hirings of NTIA officials,
including Michele Farquhar, a former vice president of the Cellular
Telecommunications Industry Association. Farquhar was hired to serve as
chief of staff and director of policy coordination and management at NTIA.
    "The concern people have is that NTIA is just going to be loaded
up with people from the industry," Love is quoted as saying. He complains
that the new hires at NTIA and Commerce "perceive their role as a referee
between trade groups.... The idea that there are public-interest
objectives that are much different from what the industry has in mind is
not something NTIA is thinking about."
    Larry Irving, the assistant secretary for commuinications and
information who hired Farquhar and the other personnel Love is concerned
about, is quoted as defending his choices and arguing that public-interest
advocates need not worry about undue industry influence--for one thing, he
says, the new NTIA personnel are recused from dealing with issues they
worked on while in the private sector.
    Irving, who has previously served as senior counsel to the House
Telecommunications subcommittee, is quoted as saying he looked for the
most talented people available for the positions. In addition, says
Irving, who is African-American, he tried to achieve diversity among the
staff by hiring minority staffers, including Roanne Robinson, a Native
American who once served as industry-affairs director for the National
Cable Television Association and who now serves as special assistant to
Irving.
    "I don't know why anybody would raise a complaint," Irving is
quoted as saying. "Whee would they like me to find people for these jobs
who are talented and bright? I cast a broad net. All I can do is hire the
best candidates the White House gives me."
    Apparently, Love does not speak for the entire public-interest
community; one public-interest advocate has praised Irving's decision to
hire Farquhar. Andrew Schwartzman, executive director of the Media Access
Project, calls Farquhar "an unbelievably great draft pick." Noting that
Farquhar had worked for the cellular communications group for less than a
year, and had previously been a senior legal adviser to a member of the
FCC for several years, Schwartzman is quoted as saying that "Those of us
in the public should be pleased that Michele is willing to make the
sacrifice to go back into public service."