FCC Chairman Brendan Carr is facing new scrutiny as the Freedom of the Press Foundation has filed a formal complaint seeking his disbarment, claiming he misused his authority in politically charged ways—particularly when responding to media criticism of former President Donald Trump.
The watchdog organization submitted its complaint to the D.C. Court of Appeals’ Office of Disciplinary Counsel, accusing Carr of violating legal ethics and abandoning the impartiality expected of someone in his position.
Among the group’s grievances is Carr’s push to resurrect long-dormant “news distortion” investigations targeting CBS, NBC, and ABC. These cases had been largely ignored for decades, until Carr chose to revive them.
The Foundation, led in this effort by advocacy director Seth Stern, alleges Carr’s moves amount to an abuse of his position as a licensed attorney and public official. Stern argues Carr’s conduct shows a pattern of bias and a willingness to use his platform for partisan objectives rather than upholding the FCC’s mission of fair and neutral oversight.
The complaint also references Carr’s vocal opposition to corporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and his public commentary around the Paramount-Skydance merger as examples of politically motivated actions. According to the Foundation, Carr not only crossed professional lines but attempted to “force an unwarranted settlement of a private lawsuit.”
A more recent flashpoint is Carr’s formal investigation into 13 NPR and PBS member stations, reviewing whether their underwriting practices stray too close to commercial advertising—something prohibited by law. That probe has sparked pushback, including from Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, who called the move “another Administration effort to weaponize the power of the FCC” to chill the work of public broadcasters.
So far, Chairman Carr has not issued any public response to the request.
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