A small but outspoken faction within the Republican party is publicly dissenting from the Trump Administration’s attempts to exert pressure on media organizations. They are criticizing what they perceive as actions taken following the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
President Donald Trump lauded ABC’s choice to cancel the late-night program due to the host’s remarks regarding the deadly shooting of far-right activist Charlie Kirk, calling it “Great News for America” and belittling Kimmel’s talent and ratings. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr’s suggestion of potentially revoking ABC’s broadcast license has sparked worries about possible government overreach affecting the media’s independence and editorial choices.
“I think it is unbelievably dangerous for government to put itself in the position of saying, ‘We’re going to decide what speech we like and what we don’t, and we’re going to threaten to take you off air if we don’t like what you’re saying,’” Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas stated on Friday.
While refraining from fully endorsing Kimmel, Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky and Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska have joined Cruz in openly criticizing the FCC, marking a rare instance of internal party disagreement.
“They have a license granted by us at the FCC, and that comes with an obligation to operate in the public interest,” Carr stated on Wednesday night.
“We are in the midst of a massive shift in dynamics in the media ecosystem for lots of reasons, again, including the permission structure that President Trump’s election has provided,” Carr said Thursday. “And I would simply say we’re not done yet with seeing the consequences of that.”
President Trump’s second term has been characterized by multiple lawsuits against the press, including a recent suit against the New York Times that was dismissed on Friday. In July, CBS canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert shortly after the late-night host criticized parent company Paramount’s settlement with Trump over a “60 Minutes” interview. This settlement occurred as the company sought FCC approval for a merger between Skydance and Paramount.
The following Republican Senators have voiced opposition to the FCC’s actions:
Sen. Ted Cruz
Cruz used his podcast to strongly condemn the FCC Chair, likening the regulator’s behavior to the 1990 film Goodfellas. The Senator stated that while he welcomed Kimmel’s temporary removal from the air, the government should not dictate media content.
“I hate what Jimmy Kimmel said. I am thrilled that he was fired,” Cruz said. “But let me tell you: If the government gets in the business of saying, ‘We don’t like what you, the media, have said. We’re going to ban you from the airwaves if you don’t say what we like,’ that will end up bad for conservatives.”
“Going down this road, there will come a time when a Democrat wins again – wins the White House … they will silence us,” he added. “They will use this power, and they will use it ruthlessly. And that is dangerous.”
Sen. Rand Paul
In an interview, Paul described Carr’s threats as “absolutely inappropriate.”
“Brendan Carr’s got no business weighing in on this, but people have to also realize that despicable comments, you have the right to say them, but you don’t have the right to employment,” Paul added.
However, the Senator also highlighted the network’s need to make decisions that support the sale of commercials, sponsorships, and other revenue streams. “You can be fired for not being popular.”
Rep. Don Bacon
Bacon, who is retiring from Congress next year, has also been a vocal critic of the FCC’s recent actions.
Bacon described ABC’s decision to permanently cancel Kimmel as a business decision. However, he stated that Carr’s threats were a “mistake.”
“To threaten [the] media and say you’re going to pull their license, that’s not what America’s about,” Bacon stated. “We do have freedom of speech, freedom of the press. We should, we should defend that.”
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