Press freedom group files ethics complaint against FCC chair

A chronicle of Donald Trump's Crimes or Allegations

Press freedom group files ethics complaint against FCC chair

The Freedom of the Press Foundation has filed an ethics complaint against Brendan Carr, the chairman of the FCC, arguing the close of ally of President Trump has “engaged in egregious misconduct,” and calling for him to be disbarred.

In the organization’s complaint, filed with the District of Columbia Court of Appeals’ Office of Disciplinary Counsel on Monday, cites Carr’s public statements and actions in the weeks leading up to the agency’s recent approval of the Paramount, Skydance merger.

“Everyone from U.S. senators to CBS employees to a dissenting FCC commissioner has said the settlement appears to have been a bribe to grease the wheels for Carr’s FCC to approve the merger,” the complaint reads. “Even putting Paramount aside, Carr has pursued numerous other frivolous and unconstitutional legal proceedings and threatened more of them in furtherance in his efforts to intimidate broadcast licensees to censor themselves and fall in line with Trump’s agenda.”

The organization’s complaint was first reported in journalist Oliver Darcy’s media newsletter Status.

Carr had in the weeks leading up to the merger publicly blasted CBS News over its coverage of the Trump administration and indicated he believed the “60 Minutes’ interview that sparked a lawsuit against the network from President Trump could hold up FCC approval of the $8 billion deal.

Paramount, CBS’s parent company, earlier this month agreed to pay Trump’s foundation $16 million and its new parent company made several concessions as part of its merger agreement with Skydance.

Carr praised those promises, including the appointing of an ombudsman to monitor CBS coverage for objectivity, in announcing the agency had approved the deal last week, saying “Americans no longer trust the legacy national news media to report fully, accurately, and fairly. It is time for a change.”

“Carr’s actions brazenly violate legal and ethical standards that govern the practice of law
and public officials, undermining the First Amendment, the FCC’s credibility and the laws
he is trusted to administer,” the complaint said. “His abuse of his office to force an unwarranted settlement of a private lawsuit, is shameful and warrants disbarment.”

A representative for the FCC did not respond to a request for comment.