Senator puts hold on FCC nominee

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sen. John Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat, has placed a hold on the nomination of telecommunications lawyer Robert McDowell to fill the third Republican seat on the Federal Communications Commission, two sources familiar with the matter said on Monday.

McDowell would break a 2-2 deadlock at the agency, which regulates the telecommunications and media industry. With a majority, the FCC has been expected to launch a review that could lead to relaxing media ownership restrictions.

McDowell, 42, has been a lawyer for Comptel, a trade association that represents telephone and Internet companies that compete against bigger carriers like AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications.

McDowell would fill a seat that expires June 30, 2009. The FCC has been tied with two Republicans and two Democrats for much of the last year.