Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, compared FCC chair Brendan Carr’s threats to revoke ABC’s broadcast licenses over Jimmy Kimmel’s commentary to tactics used by mobsters in the 1990 film Goodfellas.
At the start of his podcast, Verdict with Ted Cruz, Cruz said, “Jimmy Kimmel has been fired and suspended indefinitely. I think that’s a fantastic thing.” However, he also noted that the FCC’s actions raise First Amendment concerns. Cruz, a Harvard Law graduate and former clerk for Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist, called Carr’s comments “unbelievably dangerous.” He warned that if the government starts policing speech, it could backfire on conservatives if Democrats regain power.
Cruz described Carr’s approach as reminiscent of a mafioso intimidation tactic, quoting: “We can do this the easy way, or we can do this the hard way.” He added, “I hate what Jimmy Kimmel said, and I’m thrilled he was fired. But if the government starts banning media outlets for saying things it doesn’t like, that will ultimately hurt conservatives.”
When asked about Cruz’s comments, President Trump disagreed, calling Carr a “patriot” and a “courageous person” who is concerned about the airwaves being used “illegally and incorrectly.” Trump suggested that networks giving him overwhelmingly negative coverage—citing a figure of 97%—is dishonest.
This 97% claim appears to be based on a subjective analysis by NewsBusters, a conservative media watchdog group founded by L. Brent Bozell III, whom Trump nominated as ambassador to South Africa.ng’. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone, and post
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Illustration: Guardian Design / Rich Cousins
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Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the topic Ted Cruz likens FCC chairs threats to ABC to those of a mob boss designed to be clear and helpful for a range of readers
General Beginner Questions
1 What is this story about
This story is about Senator Ted Cruz criticizing Jessica Rosenworcel the Chair of the Federal Communications Commission He accused her of acting like a mob boss by threatening to punish the ABC television network over its editorial decisions
2 Who is Ted Cruz
Ted Cruz is a US Senator from Texas He is a member of the Republican Party and serves on the Senate Committee on Commerce Science and Transportation which oversees the FCC
3 Who is the FCC chair hes talking about
The FCC chair is Jessica Rosenworcel She is a Democrat and was appointed by President Biden to lead the FCC the government agency that regulates all interstate communications including TV radio and the internet
4 What did the FCC chair supposedly do
Senator Cruz alleged that Chair Rosenworcel threatened to hold up regulatory approvals for ABCs parent company because she was unhappy with how ABC News was covering a political story
5 Why did Cruz compare it to a mob boss
He used the term to suggest she was using the power of her government position to strongarm and intimidate a news organization into changing its coverage rather than using official transparent legal channels
Deeper Context Advanced Questions
6 What was the specific incident that sparked this
The immediate context was ABCs interview with and subsequent dismissal of a controversial political commentator Senator Cruz claims the FCC Chairs office implied this decision could affect unrelated business matters before the FCC like license renewals
7 What is the FCCs role regarding TV networks
The FCC does not regulate news content due to the First Amendment Its role is to license broadcast stations and ensure they serve the public interest which involves technical regulations not dictating what stories they run or who they employ
8 Why is this accusation so serious
It strikes at the heart of the First Amendments protection of a free press If a government regulator uses its power to influence or punish news coverage it is seen as a dangerous form of censorship and an abuse of power
