California Attorney General Demands FCC chair Address Threats to Free Speech After kimmel Suspension
California Attorney general Rob Bonta has called on Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr to “stop his campaign of censorship” and reaffirm his commitment to protecting free speech in the United States. The demand follows the brief suspension of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” after remarks made by Kimmel regarding the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s campaign staffer.
The controversy began after Kimmel, during a monologue, criticized reactions to the shooting, stating the U.S. had “hit some new lows” with attempts to downplay the shooter’s potential affiliations.In response, Carr appeared on a conservative podcast and suggested that media companies could “take action” against Kimmel, adding that there would be “additional work for the FCC ahead.”
Following Carr’s comments, two major owners of ABC affiliates announced they would drop Kimmel’s show, leading ABC to announce an indefinite preemption of the program. This prompted concerns from constitutional scholars and first Amendment advocates who argued the management and carr were exerting inappropriate pressure on media companies.
In a letter to Carr, Bonta specifically requested “an express disavowal” of his previous threats and “an unambiguous pledge” that he will not use the FCC “to retaliate against private parties” for speech he disagrees with. Bonta acknowledged the show’s return to broadcast but emphasized that this did not negate the chilling effect of Carr’s earlier statements on free speech.
The incident occurred alongside the cancellation of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” by CBS, sparking a broader debate about freedom of speech. Both Kimmel and Colbert are known critics of former President Trump, while Kirk is a vocal supporter.
Experts have voiced strong criticism of Carr’s actions. erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the UC Berkeley Law School, described them as part of a broader “assault on free speech” demonstrating “a stunning ignorance and disregard of the 1st amendment.” Summer Lopez, interim co-chief executive of PEN America, called it “a dangerous moment for free speech,” citing Carr’s threats alongside othre Trump administration actions, including statements about “hate speech” by Attorney General Pam Bondi and new Pentagon restrictions on journalists reporting on the U.S. military.
Notably, criticism has also come from within conservative circles. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), chairman of the Senate Commerce committee which oversees the FCC, stated on his podcast that Carr’s actions were “unbelievably dangerous” and could be used to “silence every conservative in America,” despite acknowledging a working relationship with Carr. Cruz described the suggestion of government intervention in broadcast content as “dangerous as hell.”
