Ethics Complaints Question FCC Impartiality Over Paramount Gala Gifts

Two watchdog groups filed ethics complaints alleging FCC Chair Brendan Carr and Commissioner Olivia Trusty violated ethics rules by accepting luxury Kennedy Center gala tickets from Paramount while the agency reviewed Paramount’s bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. ProPublica details show substantial gifts, including high-value skybox seats, and critics say the gifts could affect merger reviews. The groups urge repayment of the value of improper gifts, an inspector general probe, and disqualification from Paramount-related decisions, while the FCC has historically cleared such gifts and Paramount says it’s a longstanding practice as merger litigation continues.