In a widening fight over free speech and political power, Democrats are urging FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to resign after his remarks about broadcast content and potential penalties raised alarms about government pressure and future consolidation. Senator Chuck Schumer said, “He is one of the greatest threats to free speech America has ever seen. Brendan Carr should resign immediately.”
The flashpoint was Carr’s appearance on The Benny Show, a Cumulus Media–distributed podcast, where he suggested Jimmy Kimmel’s comments on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! about Charlie Kirk’s assassination were not in the public interest and could warrant fines or license challenges. Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Inc. preempted the show, and ABC subsequently suspended it indefinitely. Nexstar also has a $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna pending before the FCC, which critics say heightens vulnerability to regulatory pressure.
Senator Edward Markey sought a Senate resolution condemning Carr, arguing that “a comedian was silenced because a government regulator flexed his authority,” and dubbing the agency the “Federal Censorship Commission.” The effort was blocked by Senator Markwayne Mullin. In the House, Ranking Member Frank Pallone Jr. urged Carr to step down, saying, “All Jimmy Kimmel did was speak,” lamenting broadcasters’ retreat from asserting constitutional rights.
Inside the Commission, views diverged. Commissioner Anna Gomez said “this FCC does not have the authority, the ability, or the constitutional right to police content or punish broadcasters for speech the government dislikes,” warning that license threats pose an “existential risk.” Commissioner Olivia Trusty, speaking at a Free State Foundation luncheon, affirmed support for the First Amendment but noted broadcasters’ “privileged access to spectrum” carries public-interest duties, framing the Kimmel decisions by Nexstar and Sinclair as business judgments.
As consolidation and rulemakings proceed, on-the-record comments about programming may reverberate far beyond late-night TV.