Democratic FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks will resign this spring

Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr could get a Republican majority slightly sooner than expected after Democratic Commissioner Geoffrey Starks announced Tuesday he plans to resign this spring.

Starks announced his plans in a statement, but did not specify the date of his departure. President Donald Trump’s Republican nominee to serve on the commission, Olivia Trusty, is still awaiting a confirmation vote in the Senate. If Starks leaves before Trusty’s confirmation, Carr could have a 2-1 Republican majority before the Senate vote takes place, allowing him to move forward with more partisan policies that Democrats would not get on board with. Carr has already made several controversial public moves raising First Amendment concerns, including opening investigations into public broadcasters PBS and NPR, and threatening to revoke licenses for broadcasters who he believes are treating Republicans unfairly.

Starks’ announcement cuts his term short of its 2027 expiration, though his plans to leave had been rumored since late last year. Trump will get to nominate a new commissioner to fill his position, but legally, he cannot nominate a fourth Republican to the commission — only three members of a single party are allowed to serve on the FCC at the same time. Still, only three commissioners are needed for a quorum at the agency, so there may not be a rush regardless.

“Serving the American people as a Commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission has been the honor of my life,” Starks said in a statement. “I have learned so much from my time in this position, particularly when I have heard directly from Americans on the issues that matter to them.”