FCC accused of hiding Chairman Carr's messages with DOGE and Musk
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is accused of concealing Chairman Brendan Carr's communications with DOGE and Elon Musk. Plaintiffs allege the FCC delayed document production and obscured evidence of Carr's Signal account used for official business.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) faces allegations that it is attempting to hide Chairman Brendan Carr's communications with DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) and entrepreneur Elon Musk. In a court filing, plaintiffs stated that the FCC "has sought to delay the production of responsive documents and obfuscate the existence of responsive records" and "made it clear that it will not undertake a good faith effort to produce responsive documents." They argue that discovery is necessary to expedite document production and identify relevant records.
The filing presents evidence that Carr has an active Signal account on a phone he uses for FCC business. His phone number was previously disclosed in a FOIA request that revealed a November 2024 email from a Fox News producer confirming an interview. Entering that number into Signal shows an active account under the username "Brendan Carr." A June 3 FCC court filing claimed Carr did not have phone numbers for DOGE personnel and that it is agency policy not to download additional messaging apps (e.g., Signal, WhatsApp) on FCC phones.
Plaintiffs counter that Carr likely exchanged messages with Musk or other high-ranking DOGE officials. "Plaintiffs do not know whether the number belongs to Carr's personal or government-issued phone," the filing says. "What we do know is that a phone is being used for government business and that it has a Signal account in Carr’s name. Based on information and belief, Carr regularly conducts government business through text and Signal messages, communicating with journalists, industry professionals, and individuals who work for regulated entities, such as Musk and SpaceX."
Furthermore, plaintiffs accuse the FCC of limiting its records search to emails with FCC, DOGE, and GSA domains, despite objections. They also note that travel documents provided by the FCC lack information about Carr's visits to Starlink facilities. The FCC declined to comment.
