The FCC has rejected Trump’s complaints about ABC’s debate moderation and Harris’ TV appearances, citing First Amendment concerns.
Washington, D.C.: The FCC recently turned down complaints about how ABC News handled the presidential debate between Biden and Trump, along with Kamala Harris’ appearances on CBS and NBC.
Outgoing FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel stated that these complaints aimed to misuse the FCC’s power, which goes against the First Amendment.
Back in September, Trump asked the FCC to revoke ABC’s licenses due to their debate moderation. He also filed a lawsuit against CBS over Harris’ “60 Minutes” interview, claiming it was misleading.
Rosenworcel emphasized that Trump’s actions posed a threat to free speech, saying the FCC shouldn’t act as the president’s speech police.
She pointed out that the FCC is an independent agency that grants licenses to individual stations, not networks. Trump’s FCC pick, Brendan Carr, had previously criticized NBC for allowing Harris on “Saturday Night Live” right before the election.
In 2017, then FCC Chair Ajit Pai, appointed by Trump, also dismissed Trump’s calls to challenge NBC’s license over stories he deemed false.
Recently, an advocacy group asked the FCC to deny a license renewal for a Philadelphia Fox station, claiming it spread false information about election fraud. They plan to appeal the FCC’s decision.
