WASHINGTON, D.C. – Escalating his campaign against the merger clearance accord, Senator Ernest Hollings, D-S.C., on March 19 threatened retribution against the Federal Trade Commission’s top appointees if it fails to reassert authority over media deals.
Under consideration are a pay cut for top FTC officials, a decrease in the agency’s overall budget and a reduction in the number of authorized political appointees, which means FTC Chairman Timothy J. Muris could be forced to fire some of his top deputies.
