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Chairpersons

Democratic Leaders Call for Investigation into FCC Chairman Brendan Carr's "Illegal and Unconstitutional Censorship"

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Democrat lawmakers in the House Energy and Commerce Committee have issued a strong statement condemning FCC Chairman Brendan Carr's actions as an "illegal and unconstitutional censorship campaign." The leaders, led by Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ), are calling for an investigation into Carr's behavior, citing his use of authority to punish broadcasters for carrying Jimmy Kimmel's show and threatening their licenses.

Key Takeaways:

  • FCC Chairman Brendan Carr is accused of using his position to launch an "illegal and unconstitutional censorship campaign" against broadcasters who carried Jimmy Kimmel's show.
  • Carr threatened to take action against Disney/ABC, including revoking their licenses, if they did not punish Kimmel for his speech.
  • The Democratic Committee leaders claim that Carr's actions are a clear abuse of authority and demonstrate a lack of appropriate policies and procedures at the agency.
  • The investigation is requested to be led by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Inspector General (IG) Fara Damelin, who has access to all Commission records.
  • The Democratic leaders emphasize that Carr's actions warrant a thorough investigation, citing ongoing abuse of FCC authority that violates regulated entities' Constitutional rights.

Statistics:

  • The letter to the IG was issued on September 19, 2025.
  • Carr's threat to Disney/ABC was made on September 17, 2025, during a podcast interview.
  • Kimmel's show was indefinitely taken off the air hours after Carr's threat.
  • The Democratic Committee leaders are requesting the IG to launch an investigation into Carr's actions and the policies and procedures being used at FCC.

Sources:

  • Democrats-EnergyCommerce.house.gov (News Release: E&C Democratic Leaders Call for IG Investigation into FCC Chairman Brendan Carr Amid Jimmy Kimmel Suspension)
  • democrats-energycommerce.house.gov (Full Letter to Facebook: https://democrats-energycommerce.house.gov/media/press-releases/ec-democratic-leaders-call-ig-investigation-fcc-chairman-brendan-carr-amid)

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