The FCC's Compromiser in Chief

Martin's political aspirations began at the University of North Carolina, where he became student body president his senior year, groomed by alumni politicians in the state.

"I didn't even know he was a Republican until he worked for Bush's election campaign," said friend and former dormmate Steven Tepper, a professor at Vanderbilt University and a Democrat.

Ben Scott, policy director at the public advocacy group Free Press, said he was fiercely at odds with Martin's push to let local television station and newspapers be owned together.

Since last year, however, they've developed a more kindred connection. Martin adopted a rule that would make a national swath of radio-wave spectrum open to any maker of wireless technology, whether or not it's controlled by the wireless carrier. Democrats hailed the condition as a push forward for innovation and choices for consumers. Republicans criticized it as unnecessary regulation.

More recently, Martin also has revived a debate on rules to prevent Internet service providers from blocking or slowing the flow of content over their networks. The issue, called network neutrality, gained attention after Verizon Wireless was caught blocking text messages from NARAL, an abortion-rights advocacy group, and the cable operator Comcast was caught delaying traffic of some video files between Internet users.

Critics say his focus on such issues is a response to the Democratic leadership in Congress. He held a hearing on network neutrality in Cambridge, Mass., the home town of Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chairman of the Energy and Commerce subcommittee on the Internet and telecommunications. About the same time, Markey announced a bill to enforce tougher open-Internet policies.

"He's guided more than anything by where the political winds are blowing and not by any particular philosophical view of anything," said Ken Ferree, president of the Progress & Freedom Foundation, a conservative policy shop.

Martin disagreed, saying he believes in free-market economics -- though he "can be convinced of regulation" when it comes to issues affecting consumers and public safety.

This, Markey said, is the approach a chairman should take: "Not ideological but rather practical."

Yet that approach makes some wonder whether his style has abetted progress.

James Quello, a former FCC commissioner, said part of the way to succeed is to be a leader. Martin said he meets regularly with the other four commissioners, but some have complained privately that they are kept in the dark and rarely asked to participate in his meetings with key business leaders and lawmakers.

Such tactics have been questioned in the investigation, according to FCC sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the probe is ongoing.

Martin is aware that he has received more scrutiny because he's willing to defy expectations.

"What we do is too controversial," he said. "If you are worried about being liked, you won't get things done."