Earlier this year, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr initiated a series of questionable investigations targeting ABC. These probes were sparked by the network's decisions to feature Democratic Texas Senate hopeful James Talarico on *The View*, air comedians mocking the president and his spouse, and engage in journalism that critically assessed alleged corruption within the Trump administration.

The specifics of these investigations have become somewhat moot. They’ve been criticized as legally nonsensical, likely infringing on the First Amendment, and seem to involve Carr concocting baseless allegations that ABC violated outdated FCC regulations. In some instances, Carr’s actions have been perceived as racially biased, such as his complaints about ABC’s pace in dropping its "DEI" (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) requirements.

Adding to his previous actions, Carr has now escalated his threats, suggesting that ABC's decision not to broadcast a recent prime-time speech by former President Trump, which rehashed unfounded election fraud theories, could affect the network's local broadcast licenses. Both ABC and NBC chose not to air the speech live, considering the potential harm in spreading misinformation about election integrity.

In a statement to reporters, Carr argued, “I think when you have the President of the United States inside the White House delivering an important speech, that’s something broadcasters should be carrying. This is an issue,” citing concerns from some Congressional members about broadcasters' compliance with public interest mandates.

However, it is clear that ABC's First Amendment rights allow it to decide its programming. Carr lacks legal authority to dictate ABC’s scheduling, revealing his threats as largely performative. He appears to leverage these threats to intimidate media outlets that resist aligning with certain political narratives, despite knowing such actions would likely fail in court due to First Amendment protections.

Despite previous pressures leading to ABC settling a dubious lawsuit with Trump for $16 million in 2024, there are signs of resilience from the network. ABC executives have begun to counter Carr's tactics, publicly denouncing his collaboration with right-wing broadcasters to fabricate claims of FCC violations by ABC.

As Carr’s influence wanes, his threats are losing potency, hinting at his potential future displacement from office. Observers speculate that Carr might eventually transition to a lucrative position in a telecom or media think tank, continuing to advocate for corporate interests over public welfare. Meanwhile, Carr’s focus on media censorship diverts attention from other controversial actions, such as easing regulations that benefit robocallers and undermining broadband consumer protections.

As for accountability for Carr's approach to regulation, which some view as one of the most authoritarian in U.S. history, the prospect remains uncertain.