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Politics · North America

Bice asks FCC to probe outlets over fabricated Wedgewood polls

Rep. Stephanie Bice asked the Federal Communications Commission to investigate broadcast news companies that reported Wedgewood Polls surveys, which the firm said it fabricated as a “social experiment.” Bice asked the FCC to consult the Department of Justice and examine whether any company knowingly used the polls to influence the 2026 elections.

AI-assisted synthesis · Based on 4 outlets' reporting · Article text read from 1 of 4 outletsHow it's made

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4 outletsLatest reporting 3 min read
Coverage: MixedL 0 · C 2 · R 2
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Photo: House Creative Services / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

What happened

Key facts

  • Rep. Stephanie Bice sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr asking for an investigation into news outlets that reported Wedgewood Polls surveys.
  • Wedgewood Polls said its data, which showed Democrats ahead in major races, was fabricated as a “social experiment.”
  • Bice asked the Federal Communications Commission to investigate whether broadcast news companies knowingly used fabricated polls to influence the 2026 elections.
  • Bice asked the Federal Communications Commission to consult the Department of Justice.

The brief

Stephanie Bice asked the Federal Communications Commission to investigate broadcast news companies that reported surveys from Wedgewood Polls, after the firm said it had fabricated the polling as a “social experiment.” In a letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, Bice requested that the agency examine whether any broadcast news company knowingly used the polls to influence the 2026 elections.

The Washington Examiner reported that Wedgewood Polls acknowledged fabricating its data on Tuesday. The surveys had shown Democrats ahead in major races. The outlet described the polling firm as a hoax operation; the account does not identify the specific news companies that carried the surveys.

Bice asked the FCC to consult the Department of Justice as part of the requested inquiry. Her letter framed the issue as a question of journalistic standards, arguing that news companies cross a line when they report polling without vetting it and disclosing its methodology.

That is Bice’s stated rationale for seeking an investigation, not a finding by the FCC or the Department of Justice. The requested investigation would focus on whether broadcasters knowingly used fabricated polls to affect the 2026 elections.

Bice’s letter asks the FCC to determine whether that conduct occurred; the account does not report that the FCC has opened an investigation or that any broadcaster has been found to have knowingly used fabricated data. The Washington Examiner placed the request against a brief description of the polling climate.

It reported that current polls showed Democrats close to a major “blue wave” and that Cook Political Report had shifted 19 additional House races toward Democrats on Friday. The outlet also said the Wedgewood episode had raised questions about polling accuracy in 2026.

The FCC’s next step, if any, and whether it will involve the Department of Justice remain central to Bice’s request. The letter asks for an inquiry into broadcast companies’ knowledge and purpose; the source does not report a decision from the FCC, a response from Carr, or a finding about any particular outlet.

Why it matters

  • The requested inquiry concerns broadcast news companies and whether they knowingly used fabricated polling to influence the 2026 elections.
  • Wedgewood’s surveys showed Democrats ahead in major races, while the Washington Examiner reported Cook Political Report shifted 19 additional House races toward Democrats on Friday.
  • Bice’s request would involve the FCC and asks the agency to consult the Department of Justice.

What to watch next

  • Whether FCC Chairman Brendan Carr or the FCC takes up Bice’s request to investigate broadcast news companies.
  • Whether the FCC consults the Department of Justice, as Bice requested.
  • Whether an inquiry determines that any broadcast news company knowingly used Wedgewood’s fabricated polls to influence the 2026 elections.

How it's being covered

Coverage analysisShow details
4 source articles · 4 unique outlets
Outlet political mix: Mixed· 2 Center · 2 Right
Where the outlets are based: US/Canada 75% · Unknown 25%
Outlet political mix
Mixed
Left
Center
Right
0 outlets
2 outlets
2 outlets
The marker shows coverage balance: each unique outlet counts once.
Geography
Where the outlets covering this story are based.
4 unique outletsDominant coverage: US/Canada
Coverage imbalance
  • Coverage is currently concentrated among outlets based in US/Canada (3 of 4 geographically-identified sources).
How we measure coverage

How outlets' accounts compare

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Timeline

Developments from this story's sources, dated background we compiled and fact-checked, and our earlier coverage. Each row says which.
  1. Congress passed the Communications Act, which created the Federal Communications Commission.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  2. In 1936, the *Literary Digest*’s presidential survey incorrectly predicted that Republican Alf Landon would defeat Franklin D. Roosevelt.
    Background · from our historical context
  3. The Supreme Court upheld the FCC’s broadcast rules in Red Lion Broadcasting Co. v. FCC.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  4. The Supreme Court struck down a newspaper right-of-reply law in Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  5. The FCC abolished its Fairness Doctrine.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  6. Stephanie Bice won election to represent Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  7. Stephanie Bice took office in the U.S. House of Representatives.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  8. Wedgewood Polls said it had fabricated survey results as a “social experiment,” with figures showing Democrats ahead in major races.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3

How we got here

Before Stephanie Bice’s request, Wedgewood Polls said in 2026 that it had fabricated survey results as a “social experiment”; the figures showed Democrats leading in major races. Bice, a Republican representing Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District, entered the House in January 2021 after winning the 2020 election.

The Federal Communications Commission’s authority over broadcasters rests chiefly on the Communications Act of 1934, which created the agency to regulate interstate communications, including radio. Section 315 of that act established an “equal opportunities” requirement for broadcast stations when they allow a legally qualified candidate to use their facilities.

Original sources

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