Carr Talk: Ready To Work With Democrats

Democrats’ midterm victories will give the party control of both chambers of Congress in January, opening the way for tougher scrutiny of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and the Trump administration’s telecommunications policies. Lawmakers will have greater power to investigate agency decisions, hold hearings and challenge the administration’s agenda.

Carr said he is unconcerned about possible investigations or subpoenas and remains willing to work with lawmakers of either party when they share his policy goals. He noted that he has already testified several times before House and Senate panels.

Chairman Carr

Some advocacy groups have called for Carr’s impeachment, while other lawmakers hope congressional pressure will prompt him to step down. Any impeachment effort would begin in the House Judiciary Committee, where incoming chairman Jamie Raskin has not outlined his plans.

The change in congressional control may also renew scrutiny of the FCC’s broadcast-related actions. Critics, including Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez, say the agency’s approach risks undermining broadcasters’ editorial independence and object to its repeated threats to invoke its public-interest authority in disputes involving broadcasters.

On Thursday, Senator Richard Blumenthal, the top Democrat on the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and its incoming chair, on Thursday urged Carr and technology companies that donated to President Donald Trump’s ballroom project to voluntarily provide documents or face subpoenas in January.

Blumenthal sought records related to the FCC’s investigations of media companies and its approval last year of the Paramount-Skydance merger.