WASHINGTON, Jan 22 (Reuters) -

The Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday

reinstated complaints about how ABC News moderated the

pre-election TV debate between U.S. President Joe Biden and

Republican rival Donald Trump, and appearances of Vice President

Kamala Harris on CBS' "60 Minutes" and NBC's "Saturday Night

Live."

Last week, then-FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel said the

commission was rejecting complaints that "seek to weaponize the

licensing authority of the FCC in a way that is fundamentally at

odds with the First Amendment." The FCC said Wednesday in a

series of orders the complaints were dismissed "prematurely

based on an insufficient investigatory record." Brendan Carr,

who was designated by President Donald Trump as FCC chair on

Monday, declined to comment.