Tell Brendan Carr: Don’t let the FCC become the speech police

The Trump administration’s FCC Chair Brendan Carr is weaponizing the agency to censor media coverage that Trump doesn’t like. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should be an independent, nonpartisan agency with a mandate to regulate radio, television, wire, satellite, cable and internet communications. Using the FCC as a way to target Trump opposition is a massive misuse of the agency.

Background

In October 2024, President Trump accused CBS of “A FAKE NEWS SCAM” over its editing of an interview “60 Minutes” did with Vice President Kamala Harris and called for revoking the network’s license. Then FCC Chair, Jessica Rosenworcel, rejected President Trump’s complaints to revoke the licenses of CBS and ABC and stated that “…threats against free speech are serious and should not be ignored…the First Amendment is a cornerstone of our democracy. The FCC does not and will not revoke licenses for broadcast stations simply because a political candidate disagrees with or dislikes content or coverage.” 

Now, Trump’s FCC Chair Brendan Carr is investigating this complaint and using the FCC as a political weapon. Both CBS and the FCC have now released the unedited transcripts and videos. The FCC is seeking public comment on the complaint until March 7 to allow for public participation and serve the public interest.

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, in a published statement, called this a “fishing expedition”. She said “Having now seen these materials, I see no reason to continue pursuing this investigation. The FCC should now move to dismiss this fishing expedition to avoid further politicizing our enforcement actions. It is unprecedented and reckless for the FCC to disclose the status of an active investigation and publicly share materials before its conclusion and before they’ve been shared with other members of this independent body.”

Chair Carr has also promised to investigate media outlets like NPR and PBS in a blatant attempt to silence journalism that’s critical of the Trump administration.

The FCC is supposed to protect the public interest when it comes to media and Internet policy and not be used as a political tool. Join us and demand the FCC to honor its responsibility to uphold the Constitution and protect the right to free speech, press freedom and freedom of expression.

Full Comment Text

Dear FCC Commissioners,

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should not be used as an attack dog to silence media outlets, censor free speech and go after political opposition.

The FCC is meant to regulate communications in the public interest, not to be used as a way to advance political agendas or target individuals, groups, viewpoints or the media.

It is crucial to protect the rights and ability of journalists and media outlets to report the news without undue interference or government overreach. FCC investigations should not be reduced to politically motivated actions driven by whoever sits in the Oval Office. The FCC should not overstep by making subjective determinations about news coverage. Doing so would set a dangerous precedent that could undermine the principles of free speech and press freedom in the United States.

I urge the FCC and its Chair, Brendan Carr, to commit to fairness, transparency, neutrality, and true public interest. The investigation into this, and other, complaint(s) should be conducted in a manner that does not infringe on the constitutional rights of media organizations or their ability to deliver news and information to the public.

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