Michael O'Rielly

Michael O’Rielly is principal of MPORielly Consulting LLC, a visiting fellow at the Hudson Institute’s Center for the Economics of the Internet, and a senior fellow at the Media Institute.

He previously served as a commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission from 2013 to 2020. The U.S. Senate confirmed him in 2013 to complete a term and later reconfirmed him to a full term.

Before joining the FCC, O’Rielly spent two decades in senior Capitol Hill policy roles. From 2010 to 2013, he served in the Office of the Senate Republican Whip as policy adviser to Sen. John Cornyn and as policy adviser, deputy chief of staff, and policy director for Sen. Jon Kyl.

From 2009 to 2010, he worked for the Senate Republican Policy Committee as a policy analyst covering banking, technology, transportation, trade, and commerce issues. Earlier, he worked for Sen. John E. Sununu from 2003 to 2009, first as senior legislative assistant and later as legislative director.

O’Rielly previously served as a professional staff member on the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce from 1998 to 2003 and as a telecommunications-policy analyst from 1995 to 1998. He began his career as a legislative assistant to Rep. Tom Bliley from 1994 to 1995.

He earned a bachelor’s from the University of Rochester.