Additional Coverage:
FCC Chairman Grilled by Senators Over Kimmel Controversy, First Amendment Concerns
Washington D.C. – Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr faced a barrage of questions from U.S. senators on Wednesday, navigating a wide-ranging hearing that delved into allegations of media censorship, the FCC’s oversight powers, and Carr’s purported intimidation tactics during the recent uproar involving ABC comedian Jimmy Kimmel.
The hearing, convened by Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, stemmed from the brief suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” after Kimmel’s remarks following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk sparked significant social media backlash.
Walt Disney Co., ABC’s parent company, pulled Kimmel’s show on September 17th, mere hours after Carr publicly suggested that ABC should discipline the late-night host or risk FCC scrutiny. Subsequently, two major TV station groups temporarily dropped Kimmel’s program, though both reinstated it once ABC resumed production.
The chairman, appointed by President Trump, drew strong criticism from progressives who viewed his actions as a potential violation of broadcasters’ First Amendment rights. Even some Republicans, including Senator Cruz, had previously chastised Carr for his “easy way or hard way” suggestion to ABC, with Cruz likening the comment to something out of the mob film “Goodfellas.”
During Wednesday’s session, Carr maintained that his comments regarding Kimmel were not intended as threats against Disney or the ABC-affiliated stations. He argued that the FCC possesses statutory authority to ensure TV stations operate in the public interest, though he did not elaborate on how a specific sentence in Kimmel’s September 15th monologue violated this obligation.
While Senator Cruz adopted a more conciliatory tone, praising Carr’s first year as chairman, Democratic members of the panel largely steered the three-hour hearing toward exploring the Trump administration’s alleged desire to target broadcasters disfavored by the president, and Carr’s perceived willingness to comply.
Democrats repeatedly challenged Carr, suggesting his actions demonstrated loyalty to the president rather than upholding the FCC’s role as an independent licensing body. Carr and fellow Republican Commissioner Olivia Trusty testified that despite the Communications Act of 1934, which established the FCC, the agency is not entirely independent, asserting that the president’s power to hire and fire commissioners makes the FCC akin to other federal agencies.
“Then is President Trump your boss?” inquired Senator Andy Kim (D-N.J.), subsequently questioning Carr about his oath of office to protect the Constitution.
“The American people are your boss,” Kim emphasized, before asking if Carr had ever discussed using the FCC to target critics with the president or senior administration officials. Carr declined to answer.
Anna M. Gomez, the sole Democrat on the FCC, frequently clashed with her Republican counterparts, particularly during discussions about whether the FCC was serving the Trump administration’s agenda in its approach to merger approvals.
The hearing also touched upon President Trump’s ongoing criticisms of media organizations, with a recent Truth Social post lambasting NBC News for “garbage ‘interviews'” of his political rivals and suggesting broadcasters should pay “significant amounts of money for using the very valuable” public airwaves.
Earlier this year, the FCC’s approval of the Larry Ellison family’s takeover of Paramount was delayed for months until Paramount agreed to a $16 million settlement with Trump over his grievances concerning edits to a CBS “60 Minutes” pre-election interview with Kamala Harris.
“Without a doubt, the FCC is leveraging its authority over mergers and enforcement proceedings in order to influence content,” Commissioner Gomez stated.
The session occasionally devolved into partisan disputes over which party had a worse record regarding First Amendment infringements. Senator Cruz and other Republicans referenced a 2018 letter, signed by three Democrats on the committee, that called for an FCC investigation into conservative TV station owner Sinclair Broadcast Group.
“Suddenly Democrats have discovered the 1st Amendment,” Cruz remarked. “Maybe remember it when Democrats are in power.
The 1st Amendment is not a one-way license for one team to abuse the power. We should respect the free speech of all Americans, regardless of party.”