Senator Rand Paul, a Republican from the United States, criticized the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr for making threats against Disney and local broadcasters for Jimmy Kimmel Live.
After Carr threatened investigations and judicial action against licensed broadcasters, the US television network ABC, which is owned by Disney, suspended Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night talk show.
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Carr’s threat was directed at broadcasters who had followed Kimmel’s remarks on the host’s September 15 show about Republicans stepping up against the alleged shooter behind the alleged murder of conservative icon Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, on September 10.
Owners of dozens of ABC-affiliated local TV stations announced they would no longer air Kimmel’s show after he made those remarks live.
Carr had “no business weighing in on this,” Paul Paul claimed on NBC’s Meet the Press program on Sunday. He claimed that while making offensive comments, employees could be fired, the government shouldn’t put pressure on businesses.
There is no business in the government, the government claims. And it was incorrect to comment. And I’ll oppose any government-related attempts to interfere with speech,” Paul said.
Republican chairman Ted Cruz of the US Senate Commerce Committee said Carr’s threat to fine broadcasters or revoke their licenses on the content of their shows was risky.
Cruz reacted with a quote that came straight out of “Goodfellas,” which invoked the Martin Scorsese gangster film. “Nice bar you have here, Mafioso, right out of a Mafioso entering one,” the statement reads. It would be unfortunate if something did to it. “
Republican Senator Todd Young praised Cruz’s remarks on the subject on Monday. We as Americans must respect and preserve free speech, Young wrote on X.
Republican Senator Dave McCormick said on X that he concurred with Cruz’s concerns late on Friday.
“Good riddance to Jimmy Kimmel and his offensive rhetoric,” Ted also raises significant questions about the FCC chairman’s remarks, McCormick said.
Carr’s resignation has been accompanied by calls for an inspector general’s investigation and hearings from the electorate’s Democratic leaders.
Carr’s comments were described as “dangerous as hell,” according to Cruz, the chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee.
On Sunday, Carr did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Carr’s comments were supported by US President Donald Trump, who was appointed Carr. Trump told The Sunday Briefing on Fox News that “he has done nothing that goes against the grain.”
Kimmel’s support is also shown by celebrities.
In response to Kimmel’s suspension, hundreds of Hollywood and Broadway stars, including Robert De Niro, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Selena Gomez, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tom Hanks, and Meryl Streep, pleaded with Americans to “fight for and defend our constitutionally protected rights.”
More than 430 actors, comedians, directors, and writers from the film, television, and stage industries signed an open letter from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on Monday, claiming it was “a dark moment for freedom of speech in our country.”
We all love our country, the letter declares, regardless of our political affiliation or whether or not we are politically active. We also hold the view that those in power should never let their voices down, because it happens to everyone.
Noah Wyle, the newly crowned Emmy winner, Florence Pugh, the comedian David Cross, Kelli O’Hara, the Tony winner, and Molly Ringwald, the veteran actor, make up the signatories. Additionally, Kevin Bacon, Kerry Washington, Billy Crystal, and Pedro Pascal all signed.
Source: Aljazeera
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