FCC internet delay in rural areas 'worst abuse': commissioner

The Federal Communication Commission quietly decided Friday to delay a buildout that would bring internet to rural communities.

This decision was described by Commissioner Brendan Carr as “the worst abuse of agency process I have seen in my twelve years at the FCC.”

Dish Chairman and longtime Democratic donor Charlie Ergen was given up to three more years by the FCC last week to provide services in the nation's most remote communities — without comment from the public or internal FCC officials.

“I have never heard of the FCC granting such relief without process, without public input and without warning,” Carr told The Post.

“Democrats in the FCC leadership brokered a secret backroom deal – one that kept the Republican FCC commissioners and perhaps others completely in the dark – and then secretly kicked it out the door on a Friday afternoon.”

The move comes just two days after the FCC approved a controversial deal that accelerated left-leaning billionaire George Soros' takeover of radio stations that reach more than 165 million Americans, The Post has learned — a move Insider also described as political have designated.

On Wednesday, the FCC passed an order approving Soros' purchase of more than 200 radio stations in 40 markets, just weeks before the presidential election, sources told The Post.

The FCC's decision came after a partisan vote in which the commission's three Democrats voted in favor of the move while the two Republicans voted against it, sources added.

Under existing FCC rules, foreign ownership of U.S. radio stations cannot exceed 25%. According to public documents, Soros used foreign investment to make his bid and then submitted a request asking the commission to make an exception to the usual review process.

The FCC's decision to expedite its deal marks the first time in modern history that such a deal has been approved by the full commission without first going through the national security review process – a process that can take up to a year or longer.

The Soros group says it will return to the FCC at some point in the future to conduct this process.

Soros, 93, pumped $400 million into Audacy in February to take control of the network, which includes a handful of conservative shows from hosts including Sean Hannity, Dana Loesch, Mark Levin, Glenn Beck and Erick Erickson.

But their influence could be dampened if Soros takes power and pushes his agenda – as has been the case with other media takeovers.

A source familiar with the deal told The Post: “The idea that George Soros will buy hundreds of local radio stations just before a national election and continue to air Sean Hannity and other conservative talk radio hosts on Audacy is not credible.”

Carr previously told The Post: “The FCC should not create a special Soros link… the FCC must conduct its full and normal review process.”

Meanwhile, Ergen's review was expedited much faster than even Soros' – he received the green light just two days after he submitted his application.

On Wednesday, Ergen asked the FCC to delay a deadline that would require Dish's satellite provider EchoStar to cover 75% of the U.S. by June 2025, all the way to 2028.

And in an unprecedented move, the FCC approved this request without seeking public comment and without the commission's approval.

An analyst at trade publication Fierce Wireless called the move “potentially a speed record for the agency” in approving an application.

The Post previously reported on Ergen's special treatment by the Justice Department and how his political contributions were seen as a way to ingratiate himself with key government officials.

Records show Ergen and his wife donated more than $200,000 to Harris and the Democratic National Committee last year.

In a statement to The Post, a Dish spokesperson said: “It is on record that EchoStar and Charlie Ergen have supported both Republicans and Democrats for many years.”

“The FCC’s updated framework allows EchoStar to optimize and improve its innovative coast-to-coast buildout while deploying the network more efficiently in new areas of the country.

“The pricing and innovation improvements through EchoStar’s continued presence in the wireless market are a win for all American consumers.”

Meanwhile, an FCC spokesman said: “No decision is final until the Commission publishes it, which we have not done.”

A representative for Soros did not respond to the Post's request for comment.