No Censorship, No Exceptions — Defend the First Amendment

I am writing as one of your constituents to express my serious concern over recent threats to free speech — a foundation of our democracy. I urge you to take immediate action to investigate what appears to be government interference in speech through the threat of revoking broadcast licenses and coordinated removal of content. Specifically: FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s statement threatening to revoke licenses of any station airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! following remarks in his monologue constitutes a dangerous precedent. The rapid response from large ABC affiliate networks like Nexstar and Sinclair to pull the show off the air raises serious concerns about whether this amounts to chilling free expression. FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez has acknowledged that Carr’s action may violate the First Amendment and the Communications Act. These actions, if left unchecked, place us on a path toward government censorship, where those in authority can use regulatory or economic pressure to silence voices they dislike. That is antithetical to the spirit of free speech our Constitution protects. It also undermines trust in public institutions. I respectfully request that you support or initiate congressional oversight by: 1. Subpoenaing FCC Chair Brendan Carr and the CEOs of Disney, Nexstar, and Sinclair to testify under oath about these events. 2. Investigating whether there was coordination or coercion behind the scenes to force affiliates to drop the show. 3. Reviewing whether any broadcaster or FCC policy was abused to suppress political or artistic expression. Free speech is not a partisan issue — it is essential to democracy. When we permit threats to silence people, we erode not only individual rights but the shared, public dialogue that holds us accountable. I hope you agree this situation demands your attention and leadership. Thank you for your time and for your service. I look forward to hearing what steps you will take to ensure our fundamental liberties are protected.