FCC OK'ing CenturyLink/Level 3; Clyburn Dissents; Rosenworcel Partial Dissent Says Review Flawed

The FCC approved CenturyLink's planned buy of Level 3, despite Democrats' concerns. Commissioner Mignon Clyburn dissented, we're told. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel supported the transaction but said the agency's review was seriously flawed. She approved in part and dissented in part. A commission spokesman said Monday the item was approved by commissioners.

"Instead of using the agency's decades-old merger review standard, it arbitrarily introduces a new one," Rosenworcel said in her statement. "This departure from the traditional merger balancing test should properly be the subject of public notice and comment."

The companies in December asked for FCC OK for the deal worth about $34 billion.