House Oversight lawmakers probe FCC over ‘expedited’ George Soros radio purchase

WASHINGTON (TNND) — House Oversight Committee Republicans on Thursday announced a probe into the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over allegations it “expedited” the review process of billionaire Democratic donor George Soros’s pending purchase of radio giant Audacy.

The purchase would allow a Soros-backed group to take ownership of Audacy’s network of 200 U.S. radio stations across 40 markets. FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr alleged during an Oversight Committee hearing last week the agency was deviating from its normal procedure by allowing the purchase to take place.

Soros’s deal, he claimed, potentially breaks a rule preventing more than 25% foreign ownership of U.S. radio stations.

“I think what’s interesting about it is that the FCC is not following its normal process for reviewing transactions that it has established over a number of years,” Carr warned. “It seems to me the FCC is poised, for the first time, to create an entirely new shortcut.”

House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., and Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., led Thursday’s announcement. The Oversight Committee lawmakers cried foul in a press release, claiming the FCC appeared to be abandoning its “established process” to accommodate the Soros deal.

“Despite the unprecedented nature of this action, the FCC majority has apparently decided to approve licenses on an accelerated timeframe for a company in which George Soros has a major ownership stake, and with stations in 40 media markets reaching ‘more than 165 million Americans,’” they wrote.

By all appearances, the FCC majority isn’t just expediting but is bypassing an established process to do a favor for George Soros and facilitate his influence over hundreds of radio stations before the November election,” they concluded.

In a letter to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, the lawmakers demanded a slew of documents and communications between the agency and Soros Fund Management. The lawmakers gave the agency a tight deadline of Oct. 3, just one week from the time of their letter.

A spokesperson for the FCC told The National News Desk Friday the agency has received the letter and “will respond as we regularly do.”

“In regard to Audacy, the application before the Commission pertains to a transfer from Audacy in bankruptcy, to Audacy post-bankruptcy. No decision is final until the Commission releases it, which we have not,” the spokesperson added. “The Commission has a long-standing process for reviewing transactions that involve emergence from bankruptcy.”

The Soros accusations also caught the attention of legal watchdog group America First Legal (AFL), which launched its own investigation into the FCC Thursday. AFL announced it sent a Freedom of Information Act request to the FCC demanding information on “whether the FCC has punted other national security reviews in the past.”

“By delaying this formal review process, millions of American listeners will be affected — all in the final weeks before the U.S. presidential election,” it wrote. “AFL will continue to demand transparency from the government for the protection of all American citizens.”

A representative for Soros’s Open Society Foundation returned an out-of-office message when reached for comment via email by The National News Desk Friday.

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