WASHINGTON—Three Democratic U.S. Senators have sent a stern letter blasting FCC Chair Brendan Carr for the “weaponization” of the agency for attacking broadcasters and public media for “political purposes.”
Sens. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and Gary Peters (D-Mich.)—members of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation—wrote Carr and his fellow Republican commissioner Nathan Simington regarding recent actions taken by the FCC to investigate broadcasters and public media outlets.
The lawmakers wrote: “We write to express our serious concern about the recent actions taken by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under Chairman Carr to open or reopen investigations into broadcasting companies without any evidence of wrongdoing in what appears to be an attempt to intimidate broadcasters for political purposes. Specifically, we are concerned by both of your recent assertions that broadcast stations could be investigated over their editorial decision-making, which raises concerns under the First Amendment.
“Additionally, we are deeply concerned that in just the first two weeks under Chairman Carr, the Commission has reinstated three previously closed complaints against ABC, CBS, and NBC—absent any new evidence—without also reinstating a similar complaint against a Fox broadcasting station,“ the senators added. “Finally, we are troubled by your announced investigation into PBS and National Public Radio (NPR) member stations without any evidence that these news sources have departed from decades-long practices for sponsorship disclosures.
“Taken together, these efforts appear politically motivated and designed to punish, censor or intimidate members of the free press based on political disagreement with editorial choices,“ the letter continued. “This weaponization of the FCC is unacceptable. We urge you to immediately cease such conduct and respect the First Amendment.
“We urge you both to follow the Constitution, immediately cease abusing the FCC’s legal authority, and return to the evidence-based decision-making that has been a staple of the Commission’s long and storied history,” the senators concluded.
As previously reported, Carr instituted an FCC investigation into PBS and NPR sponsorship policies. He also took an unusual step for an FCC chair by supporting calls to defund public media.
Carr also reinstated three complaints by the conservative Center for American Rights against stations owned by CBS, ABC, NBC that had been dismissed on First Amendment grounds.
More on those stories and other news regarding the FCC can be found here.
