The FCC “attempted to delay the production of responsive filings and conceal the existence of responsive filings” and “made clear that it would not make a good faith effort to produce responsive filings,” the FCC said. “Accordingly, discovery is requested and will expedite the document production process by assisting Plaintiffs in identifying responsive documents.”
Carr’s phone
The filing said there was evidence that Signal messaging was set up on the phone Carr used for his FCC work. Carr’s phone number was previously disclosed in a FoIA request that uncovered a November 2024 email from a Fox News producer who confirmed the interview. “The inclusion of that number in the Signal program indicates that he has an active Signal account under the username ‘Brendan Carr,'” the application states.
A lawsuit A June 3 filing by the FCC said Carr did not have phone numbers for DOGE employees and that “it is agency policy not to install additional messaging applications (eg, Signal, WhatsApp) on FCC phones.” The plaintiffs dispute that Carr exchanged messages with Musk or other senior DOGE officials.
“Plaintiffs do not know whether the number identified in Exs. 4 and 5 belongs to Carr’s personal phone or a government-issued phone,” the filing states. “What we do know is that the phone is used for government business and that he has a Signal account in Carr’s name. Based on information and belief, Carr regularly conducts government business via text and Signal messages, and communicates with journalists, industry professionals, and individuals working at regulated entities such as Musk and SpaceX.”
The plaintiffs said the FCC’s statement that Carr did not have phone numbers for DOGE employees did not resolve the issue.
“It is unlikely that Carr would have contacted individuals at this level. Carr would have contacted Musk or other senior DOGE officials,” he said. The plaintiffs said the previous DOGE case alleges “DOGE employees routinely conducted business on their personal phones using text messages, specifically the Signal app.”
The filing also accused the FCC of limiting records searches to emails with FCC, DOGE and GSA (General Services Administration) domains, despite the plaintiffs’ objections. He also said the travel documents provided by the FCC contained nothing about Carr’s visits to Starlink facilities.
We reached out to the FCC today and will update this article if they have any comments.
