EXCLUSIVE: Explosive Lawsuit Aims to Expose FCC Chair Brendan Carr's Private Texts Over Jimmy Kimmel's Charlie Kirk Monologue Controversy
The filing centers on Carr’s widely circulated public comments criticizing ABC and Kimmel after the comedian addressed Kirk’s killing during an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!
June 10 2026, Published 9:30 a.m. ET
An explosive new lawsuit has been filed by a government watchdog group seeking to expose Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr's text messages following his public comments about late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal.
According to court documents obtained by us, Citizens for Constitutional Integrity sued the FCC after alleging the agency failed to produce text messages requested under the Freedom of Information Act, despite seeking records connected to Carr's remarks following ABC’s late-night show, Jimmy Kimmel Live! monologue about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Requested Text Records Using Specific Words
The lawsuit claims the FCC produced no responsive text messages beyond a single screenshot that Carr allegedly emailed to himself, prompting accusations.
The nonprofit alleges it requested emails, text messages, Signal communications and other messaging records containing the terms "Jimmy," "Kimmel," "ABC," "Charlie" and "Kirk" between September 10 and September 23, 2025. It also sought communications between Carr and email addresses associated with Nexstar and Sinclair Broadcast Group.
Instead, the lawsuit claims the FCC produced no responsive text messages beyond a single screenshot that Carr allegedly emailed to himself, prompting accusations that the agency failed to conduct a reasonable search of his cellphone.
The filing centers on Carr’s widely circulated public comments criticizing ABC and Kimmel after the comedian addressed Kirk’s killing during an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
Remarks Raised Significant Questions
'The People deserve to know what else Carr threatened,' the complaint states while seeking declaratory and injunctive relief.
In the complaint, the watchdog group points to Carr’s statement: "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action frankly on Kimmel or you know there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead."
Citizens for Constitutional Integrity argues those remarks raise significant questions about what communications may have taken place behind the scenes and contends the public has a right to review any responsive text messages.
"The People deserve to know what else Carr threatened," the complaint states while seeking declaratory and injunctive relief requiring the FCC to search the chairman’s cellphone and produce any relevant records.
The Host Criticized Jimmy's Efforts
The plaintiffs also reference publicly available video footage, including a clip from The Benny Show, where Carr’s comments were discussed.
The lawsuit further claims the agency's search obligations under the Freedom of Information Act extend to electronic communications such as text messages and messaging applications, arguing that searching only email systems does not satisfy the law’s requirements when responsive texts may exist
As part of the filing, the plaintiffs also reference publicly available video footage, including a clip from The Benny Show, where Carr’s comments were discussed, as well as Jimmy Kimmel's own return monologue in which the host criticized efforts to pressure broadcasters over political speech.
The watchdog group maintains the dispute goes beyond one television personality and instead concerns government transparency and the public's ability to scrutinize communications involving a top federal regulator.
Aftermath Controversy Surrounding Jimmy Kimmel Live
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The lawsuit comes months after the controversy surrounding Jimmy Kimmel Live! erupted into a national flashpoint.
The lawsuit comes months after the controversy surrounding Jimmy Kimmel Live! erupted into a national flashpoint. As Radar previously reported, Kimmel’s show was pulled from ABC’s schedule after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr publicly criticized the comedian’s remarks about Charlie Kirk and warned broadcasters they could face consequences, sparking widespread debate over political pressure and free speech.
The filing contends those communications could shed new light on the events that preceded Kimmel’s suspension and the FCC chairman’s controversial public comments
