Pushing for Transparency and Accountability at the FCC
We’re using FOIA requests to uncover and challenge the growing influence of Elon Musk over federal regulatory agencies. In collaboration with journalist Nina Burleigh, Frequency Forward is seeking information about how Musk’s dual role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency and CEO of federally regulated companies like SpaceX and Starlink is creating unmanageable conflicts of interest within the FCC.
On April 24, 2025 Frequency Forward filed a Complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia asking that the Court order the FCC to produce the documents Frequency Forward requested after the agency failed to respond under FOIA in a timely manner.
On August 25, 2025, Frequency Forward joined journalist Nina Burleigh in filing a motion for preliminary injunction in the U.S. District Court. The motion seeks expedited processing and release of agency records in response to a FOIA request for communications between DOGE and FCC staff. The FCC has failed to comply with the statutory timelines under FOIA, and the evidence suggests that the agency will not fully process the request unless ordered to do so by the court.
This legal action follows a partial production of just 35 pages of records—documents that are incomplete and appear intentionally misleading. These types of administrative records are routinely processed by federal agencies within weeks of a FOIA request and do not pose a significant burden. Yet, the FCC continues to delay.
At the heart of the request is growing concern about Tarak Makecha, a former Tesla executive and current vice president at Valor Equity Partners, who was embedded at the FCC as a DOGE staffer. Valor has deep financial ties to Musk’s private companies, including SpaceX and Starlink, both of which are regulated by the FCC. Makecha’s background in finance and his unusual presence at the agency raise serious questions about conflicts of interest and the FCC’s obligations under the Communications Act.
Frequency Forward remains committed to holding federal agencies accountable and ensuring transparency where potential conflicts of interest affect public trust.
Memorandum in Support of Plaintiffs’ Motion for a Preliminary Injunction → Exhibit 1: 35 Pages of Preliminary Documents Produced by FCC →The character of broadcast licensees matters, and broadcasting news over the public airwaves is a public trust. We are petitioning to block Sinclair’s broadcast license transfers for five stations and calling for an FCC hearing into the company’s repeated use of shell companies to evade media ownership rules. Our goal is to ensure that broadcast licenses are reserved for companies that operate with honesty and integrity, not those that mislead regulators and consolidate power at the public’s expense.
On April 14, 2025, Frequency Forward filed a Petition to Deny with the FCC, requesting a hearing to determine whether Sinclair’s senior leadership meets the agency’s character qualifications that are necessary to hold a broadcast license.
Frequency Forward is a public-interest organization and consumer advocacy watchdog dedicated to promoting greater transparency and accountability at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Our mission is to ensure the agency serves all Americans and is not beholden to entrenched corporate power.
By leveraging legal expertise and strategic media engagement, we will shine a spotlight on critical issues shaping the media, telecommunications, and broadband policy landscape. We achieve this by actively engaging in the FCC’s regulatory process and educating the media and consumers when the agency prioritizes corporate interests over the broader public good.
Frequency Forward also intends to play an important role as a watchdog, exposing undue industry influence through investigative initiatives, including Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
Our Mission: Frequency Forward is a public interest watchdog dedicated to promoting transparency and accountability at the FCC.
Frequency Forward
4401-A Connecticut Ave NW, #166Frequency Forward is an IRS recognized 501(c)(3) organization.
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