Two government watchdog organizations are calling for investigations into whether members of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) breached ethics rules by accepting luxury gala tickets from Paramount. This comes as Paramount pursues government approval for its $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
Democracy Defenders Fund and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed complaints referencing a ProPublica report. This report outlines how CBS and its parent company, now Paramount, have regularly provided FCC commissioners with tickets to the Kennedy Center honors gala. The FCC, during this period, was reviewing significant business decisions affecting Paramount, including major mergers.
Commissioner Olivia Trusty, in her latest financial disclosure, reported receiving two tickets from Paramount to the December 2025 gala, valued at over $12,000. Trusty voted in favor of Paramount’s previous merger with Skydance.
ProPublica’s analysis revealed that since 2016, seven of ten commissioners accepted tickets valued over $260,000. FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s disclosures show he received gala tickets eight times since 2017, totaling over $75,000. Carr voted for the Paramount-Skydance merger and attended the gala in a private skybox with Paramount executives. These tickets were listed as worth $125,000 each. Carr’s disclosure of accepting more tickets at a stated value of $12,390 hasn’t been clarified by the FCC.
The federal gift rules ensure decisions are made on merits, free from private influence, according to the Democracy Defenders Fund.
The watchdog groups argue these actions risk public trust in FCC’s merger review process. ProPublica reported that FCC members, including Carr and Trusty, compromised the commission’s impartiality by accepting tickets. Carr and Trusty have not commented on these allegations.
The FCC spokesperson argued that accepting these tickets was consistent with ethics laws and part of a longstanding practice of inviting officials from both parties. Paramount’s merger with Warner Bros. remains a significant ongoing process requiring FCC approval.
Norman Eisen, leading the Democracy Defenders Fund, advocated for disqualifying Carr and Trusty from the merger decision. This fund insists on a thorough investigation on gifts received and urges Carr to repay any improper benefits and refrain from approving his disclosure report.
Meanwhile, CREW also pushed for an inspector general investigation into potential ethics violations tied to these gifts. CREW’s concern centers on preserving the integrity of FCC operations amid crucial merger debates.
The Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger, paused until litigation resolves, continues to face lawsuits from several states and organizations challenging it under antitrust laws.