The Republicans Breaking Ranks with Trump Over Media Suppression

A small but vocal group of Republicans is openly challenging the Trump Administration’s efforts to pressure media companies, denouncing what they see as a threat to press freedom following the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!.  President Donald Trump celebrated ABC’s decision to cancel the late-night show over the host’s comments regarding the fatal shooting of far-right activist Charlie Kirk, calling it “Great News for America” and deriding Kimmel’s talent and ratings. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr suggested that ABC’s broadcast license could be revoked, raising concerns over potential government overreach into the media’s independence and editorial decisions. “I think it is unbelievably dangerous for government to put itself in the position of saying, ‘We’re going to decide what speech we like and what we don’t, and we’re going to threaten to take you off air if we don’t like what you’re saying,’” said Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas on Friday.  Read more: From Firing Threats to Epstein Mentions, Here’s a Look at the Fraught History Between Trump and Kimmel While stopping short of offering full support to Kimmel, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska joined Cruz in publicly rebuking the FCC, in a rare instance of intra-party pushback.  “They have a license granted by us at the FCC, and that comes with an obligation to operate in the public interest,” Carr told Fox News Wednesday night. “We are in the midst of a massive shift in dynamics in the media ecosystem for lots of reasons, again, including the permission structure that President Trump’s election has provided,” Carr told CNBC Thursday. “And I would simply say we’re not done yet with seeing the consequences of that.”  Read more: Jimmy Fallon Is Playing It Safe. He Might Be Cooked Anyway The second term of the Trump Administration has been marked by numerous lawsuits against the press, including a recent defamation lawsuit against the New York Times that was dismissed on Friday. This July, CBS cancelled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert—soon after the late night hosts criticized parent company Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Trump over a “60 Minutes” interview. The settlement coincided with the company’s application for a merger between Skydance and Paramount, which had to be approved by the FCC. These are the Republican Senators who have spoken out against the FCC’s actions:  Sen. Ted Cruz  Cruz took to his podcast, Verdict with Ted Cruz, to sharply criticize the FCC Chair, comparing the regulator’s approach to the 1990 mob film Goodfellas. The Senator said that while he was pleased that Kimmel was—at least temporarily removed from air—the government has no place in dictating what the media says. “I hate what Jimmy Kimmel said. I am thrilled that he was fired,” Cruz said. “But let me tell you: If the government gets in the business of saying, ‘We don’t like what you, the media, have said. We’re going to ban you from the airwaves if you don’t say what we like,’ that will end up bad for conservatives.” “Going down this road, there will come a time when a Democrat wins again – wins the White House … they will silence us,” he added. “They will use this power, and they will use it ruthlessly. And that is dangerous.” Sen. Rand Paul  In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, Paul said that Carr’s threats were “absolutely inappropriate.”  “Brendan Carr’s got no business weighing in on this, but people have to also realize that despicable comments, you have the right to say them, but you don’t have the right to employment,” Paul added.  Still, the Senator pointed to the network’s need to make decisions that allow them to continue to sell commercials, sponsorships, and more. “You can be fired for not being popular.” Rep. Don Bacon  Bacon, who is retiring from Congress next year, has also been an outspoken critic of the FCC’s recent actions.  Bacon characterized ABC’s decision to indefinitely cancel Kimmel as a business decision. But, the lawmaker said, the threats made by Carr were a “mistake.”   “To threaten [the] media and say you’re going to pull their license, that’s not what America’s about,” Bacon told CNN. “We do have freedom of speech, freedom of the press. We should, we should defend that.”