WASHINGTON: Republican Senator Rand Paul declared Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr’s threats against Disney and local broadcasters for airing “Jimmy Kimmel Live” as completely inappropriate.
Paul stated on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that Carr had no business weighing in on the matter and that government pressure on companies over speech was unacceptable.
“The government’s got no business in it. And the FCC was wrong to weigh in. And I’ll fight any attempt by the government to get involved with speech,“ Paul said.
Senate Commerce Committee chair Ted Cruz had earlier called Carr’s threat to fine broadcasters or pull their licenses over show content dangerous.
“I got to say that’s right out of ‘Goodfellas’. That’s right out of a Mafioso coming into a bar going, ‘Nice bar you have here. It would be a shame if something happened to it’,“ Cruz said.
Republican Senator Todd Young subsequently praised Cruz’s comments on the issue, emphasising the need to cherish and protect free speech.
Senator Dave McCormick also agreed with Cruz’s concerns while welcoming the show’s suspension due to what he called Kimmel’s disgusting rhetoric.
Democratic leaders in Congress have demanded Carr’s resignation and called for an inspector general’s investigation and public hearings.
Cruz, who chairs the Senate’s commerce oversight committee, described Carr’s comments as dangerous as hell.
Carr did not respond to a request for comment on Sunday.
Former President Donald Trump, who appointed Carr, supported both ABC’s decision to suspend the show and Carr’s comments, stating he had done nothing over the line. – Reuters