Open Markets Institute Condemns FCC Chairman’s Use of Merger Review Process to Advance His Political Goals

WASHINGTON (July 11, 2025) –The Open Markets Institute today condemned the Federal Communications Commission's unprecedented use of its authority to pressure companies into abandoning diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, in light of recent news that the FCC would grant T-Mobile approval for two merger deals based on such condition.  

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has made it a condition that companies eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives if they want to obtain a favorable result in the FCC’s review process of mergers and acquisitions. This regulatory coercion has already forced major telecommunications companies like Verizon and T-Mobile to dismantle such initiatives rather than risk losing billions in merger approvals. 

“Using antitrust authority as a cudgel to eliminate workplace diversity programs and manipulate the competitive process isn’t just regulatory overreach—it's a complete perversion of the FCC’s statutory mission: managing spectrum allocation, maintaining technical standards, and ensuring reliable communications infrastructure. The FCC’s missions is not advancing political agendas against corporate diversity efforts or press independence,” said Courtney Radsch, Director of the Center for Journalism & Liberty at the Open Markets Institute.  

“The FCC Chairman’s actions are setting a dangerous precedent where federal agencies can hold companies hostage, forcing them to abandon commitments unrelated to provision and quality requirements of their services, and impeding on their expressive rights. We demand the FCC regulatory authority be used for its intended purpose and not ideological warfare.” 

This abuse of regulatory power marks the latest expansion of Carr’s campaign to weaponize FCC authority and undermine free speech. The agency has launched investigations into CBS, PBS, NPR, and NBC over editorial decisions, threatened to revoke broadcast licenses based on news coverage, and initiated probes into local stations for reporting on immigration enforcement operations. “The series of actions by the FCC is an unacceptable abuse of authority that merits condemnation from all aisles of Congress and public opinion,” said Radsch.