In May 2026, Protect Democracy submitted three FOIA requests to the FCC seeking records related to: (1) a petition to repeal the news distortion policy that has been pending since November 2025; (2) the FCC’s decision to call in the licenses of ABC-owned stations following a Jimmy Kimmel monologue that irked President Trump; and (3) communications between the FCC and the Center for American Rights, an organization that has reportedly been driving much of Chairman Carr’s attacks on broadcasters. 

In July, the FCC began producing responsive records. The productions are ongoing, but the records produced so far reveal a remarkable degree of communication between the Center for American Rights and Chairman Carr’s office. Between November 2025 and April 2026, the Center contacted the Chairman’s office more than twenty times about topics ranging from the Skydance-Paramount merger, to Bad Bunny’s super bowl halftime show.

Read the FOIA documents below:

FOIA 263 (news distortion petition)

Status: Productions ongoing

• FCC Response Letter (July 6, 2026)
• First Production (July 6, 2026)

FOIA 264 (ABC license renewal, Kimmel monologue)

Status: Productions ongoing

• FCC Response Letter (July 6, 2026)
• First Production – Part 1 (July 6, 2026)
• First Production – Part 2 (July 6, 2026)
• First Production – Part 3 (July 6, 2026)

FOIA 265 (Center for American Rights communications)

Status: Complete

• FCC Response Letter
• FOIA Production