Democrats are understandably upset over Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr’s move to silence another Trump critic by launching a pressure campaign against late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. Democratic California Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) moved to subpoena Carr in connection with Kimmel’s suspension.
“Again, this administration has initiated the largest assault on the First Amendment and free speech in modern history,” Khanna said. They’re making comedy illegal. Brendan Carr pressured ABC to cancel Jimmy Kimmel, and Disney cancels Jimmy Kimmel.”
“This canceling from an administration that lectured us about cancel culture,” he continued. “That’s why today I’m introducing a motion to subpoena Brendan Carr, to bring him in front of this committee, to stop the intimidation of private businesses, and to stand up for the First Amendment.”
“Now it’s not just Brendan Carr,” he said. “Attorney General Pam Bondi is prosecuting hate speech, even though hate speech is constitutionally protected. And even though we’ve had so many lectures from my friends on the other side of the aisle not to prosecute hate speech.”
“And then what about our vice president?” he continued. “The champion of free speech, as he told us during the campaign. The vice president is telling Americans to snitch on fellow Americans who have offensive posts and to call their employers so they can be fired. And the vice president is threatening to prosecute political organizations that he disagrees with.”
