Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, said the inquiry could help Congress decide whether to continue funding local stations.

FCC’s Brendan Carr also suggests an investigation could be relevant to conservative congressional efforts to defund the public broadcasters.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said he is launching investigations into both PBS and NPR, in the hopes of helping Congress defund the public broadcasters. His basis for the investigation stems from what he alleges are potentially unlawful commercials.