FCC chair accuses predecessors of partisan bias after criticism of media probes

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr slammed his predecessors at the department after they criticized him for his probing of major broadcast outlets he has said are unfair to President Trump.

When contacted by media reporter Oliver Darcy with statements from three former FCC officials, each of whom blasted his department’s probes of NBC, PBS and other outlets, Carr responded “I gotta imagine it’s hard when the curtain is closing on your career and yet you’re still yearning for one more moment in the limelight.”

Carr went on to slam the three — Tom Wheeler, Reed Hundt and Alfred Sikes — two of whom worked under Democratic presidents. Sikes worked under former President George H.W. Bush.

Carr said all three official “appear to have a pretty bad case of TDS [Trump Derangement Syndrome].”

“In other words, these three are not objective observers—they’re just partisans that are mad the Biden FCC didn’t do more to punish their political enemies,” Carr wrote to Darcy over text message. “In contrast to them, though, I will ensure that everyone gets a fair shake from this FCC.”

Carr has been an outspoken critic of mainstream media companies and recently mocked singer Sheryl Crow after she announced she would sell her Tesla and donate the funds to NPR, a public broadcaster the FCC has put under investigation regarding its federal funding and editorial practices.  

Updated: 3:30 p.m.