Democratic legislators are raising an investigation into FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s “attacks on the First Amendment,” which looks into his relationship and communication with the White House, down to the Commission leader’s visits to Mar-a-Lago.
US House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ), Communications and Technology Subcommittee Ranking Member Doris Matsui (D-CA), and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Ranking Member Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY) sent an eight-page letter sent to Chairman Carr expressing their “deep concern” over actions he has made “to target and intimidate news organizations and broadcasters in violation of the First Amendment.”
For these House Democrats, “These troubling actions assault the Constitutionally protected freedom of the press and violate the FCC’s statutory prohibition against engaging in censorship.”
The trio of House Democrats in the E&C Committee also assail Carr for “directing FCC staff to devote time and resources to bogus investigations,” which would constitute “a violation of the law, gross mismanagement, extreme waste of funds, and an abuse of authority.”
That’s why Pallone, Matsui, and Clarke are sharing a copy of the letter sent to Carr with the FCC’s Office of Inspector General, recommending that the OIG open an investigation.
And, they’re particularly biting in their criticism of Carr. “Your partisan goals are transparent and inappropriate, particularly given your previous experience as a
FCC General Counsel,” they said in the letter. “You have launched sham investigations into entities disfavored by President Trump, Elon Musk, and the Republican Party to censor journalists and news coverage.”
The “most concerning action to date” is Carr’s reinstatement of an investigation into CBS for alleged “news distortion” involving an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of the 2024 US presidential election.
The trio of Democrats also criticize Carr for looking into Audacy’s KCBS Radio in San Francisco for alleged interference in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement undercover raid, and for investigations into potential underwriting violations at both NPR and PBS.
All of these concerns led Pallone, Matsui, and Clarke to seek answers on paper from Carr, with an April 14 deadline. What do they seek? They want Carr to provide “all documents” related to its investigations — something they may not get, as these are ongoing queries. How the FCC responds is debatable.
The House Democrats also seek all communications between Carr and current White House officials and between Carr and other Trump Administration officials that relate to investigations of these or other media entities; and all communications between Carr and third parties related to investigations of these or other media entities.
And, Clarke, Matsui, and Pallone want Carr to “specifically describe” his interpretation of the “public interest standard” he frequently cites while sharing the FCC’s plan and authority to enforce his interpretation of the standard.
Of final note: the House Democrats want all personal records related to Carr’s visits to Mar-a-Lago, including detailed receipts of all associated costs borne by the FCC and any ethics advice that was provided related to such travel.
