In news from Washington, President Bush has announced he will nominate a telecommunications lobbyist to fill a vacancy on the Federal Communications Commission. The lobbyist, Robert McDowell, has been working for a trade organization called CompTel that represents phone carriers that compete with the regional Bell companies. According to the publication Communications Daily, McDowell has strong Republican ties and worked with FCC Commissioner Kevin Martin on the 2000 Florida vote recount. McDowell is also close to the Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman. Once confirmed, McDowell will give Republicans a majority on the FCC at which time Chairman Kevin Martin is expected to try again to rewrite the nation’s media ownership laws.