Overview

• The Freedom of the Press Foundation filed a formal ethics complaint with the D.C. Bar accusing Carr of abusing his FCC role to pressure media outlets and win merger approvals tied to a $16 million Trump settlement.
• The filing cites Carr’s revival of investigations into ABC and NBC News and his public threats against MSNBC as examples of political interference in journalistic content.
• The D.C. Bar has not yet decided whether to pursue disciplinary action, and Carr could face sanctions up to disbarment if the complaint moves forward.
• On July 30, Carr launched a new probe into Comcast’s agreements with local TV affiliates over reports of onerous financial and operational concessions.
• This Comcast inquiry follows recent FCC reviews of Disney and NBCUniversal deals and DEI policies, reflecting Carr’s broadened regulatory agenda on media mergers and content practices.