The only Democratic FCC Commissioner who came near to approving the proposed merger of XM and Sirius satellite radio changed course today; Jonathan Adelstein now says he will not support the deal.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the Federal Communications Commission will soon approve the proposed merger of Sirius and XM satellite radio, but with some punitive strings attached. According to the Journal’s latest post (subscription), Republican Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate, the last holdout on the deal, will soon give the go ahead to the union.

But she wants “a consent decree that resolves several enforcement issues involving the satellite radio companies and a combined fine of about $20 million,” according to the story.

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