Ted Cruz Slams Trump’s FCC for Operating as “Speech Police”
Sen. Ted Cruz is defending late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel and his employer, Disney, at the Federal Communications Commission.
The Texas Republican blasted the agency’s decision to require a first exam broadcast licenses from Disney following a joke Kimmel told on television about first lady Melania Trump last week where he said she would “shine like a future widow” at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. A few days later, a gunman attempted to attack the event but was apprehended by the Secret Service.
“It’s not the role of government to censor speech, and I don’t believe the FCC should function as a speech police,” Cruz told Punchbowl News Tuesday.
Earlier today, the FCC ordered Disney’s eight ABC television stations to apply for early renewal of their broadcast licenses, to determine whether doing so potentially violated the agency’s “prohibition of unlawful discrimination.”
A few weeks ago, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said that Disney’s licenses could be threatened by the company’s alleged diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. But the timing of the commission’s latest request is suspect, given that President Trump, Melania Trumpand others administration officials all attacked Kimmel before the request.
Cruz also came to Kimmel and ABC defense last September, after the FCC attempted to punish networks that carried Kimmel’s show for jokes he made about the Trump administration. At the time, Cruz said on his podcast: “I hate what Jimmy Kimmel said, I’m glad he was fired. But let me tell you: if the government starts saying, ‘We don’t like what you, the media, said; we’re going to take you off the air if you don’t say what we like,’ it’s going to end badly for conservatives.”
Last year, Kimmel was suspended a week before to come back at his show. This time, will he and Disney resist this new attempt at censorship? Otherwise, another late night talk show might bite the dust thanks to pressure from the Trump administration.
