Bonta demands FCC chair ‘stop his campaign of censorship’ following Kimmel suspension

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California Attorney General Rob Bonta criticized Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr on Monday, claiming Carr illegally pressured TV broadcasters to support former President Trump’s views. Bonta is asking Carr to change his approach.

In a letter to Carr, Attorney General Bonta pointed to ABC’s removal of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” following comments Kimmel made about the death of a Trump supporter, Charlie Kirk. Carr then asked Disney, ABC’s parent company, to discipline Kimmel.

Bonta argued that California has many artists, performers, and people who regularly express themselves freely, and that Disney’s requirements were a violation of their First Amendment rights.

According to a Supreme Court ruling from over sixty years ago, recently confirmed again last year, the First Amendment prevents government officials from using threats or pressure to silence speech they disagree with, as stated by Bonta.

Both Carr and Trump claim they weren’t involved in Kimmel’s suspension, stating it was because his show wasn’t performing well in the ratings.

Following Disney’s announcement on Monday that Jimmy Kimmel’s show would continue on ABC, Attorney General Bonta expressed his satisfaction that ABC was no longer giving in to what he considers illegal pressure from the FCC, but noted his initial worries remain.

He dismissed Trump and Carr’s claims that they weren’t involved, and criticized the administration for what he called a risky attempt to silence critics.

According to Attorney General Bonta, suppressing or silencing anyone-whether it’s a comedian, a lawyer, or someone peacefully protesting-simply because of their views goes against American principles. He described such censorship by the U.S. government as deeply concerning.

World & Nation

Many famous actors and performers from Hollywood and Broadway are speaking out to support free speech after Jimmy Kimmel was temporarily taken off the air.

Bonta urged Carr to end what he called a pattern of censorship and firmly support free speech in the United States. He stated this would require Carr to clearly reject past threats and promise not to use his position at the FCC to punish individuals or companies for expressing views he doesn’t agree with.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta released a statement today acknowledging that ABC will air Jimmy Kimmel’s show tomorrow night as planned. While he expressed relief that free speech was ultimately protected, Bonta emphasized that the threats made against the show and the resulting censorship this past week are unacceptable, and warned that such threats could discourage free expression in the future.

Following the shooting of Charlie Kirk, Jimmy Kimmel stated that the U.S. had reached a new low. He explained that supporters of Donald Trump, or the ‘MAGA gang,’ were working hard to distance themselves from the shooter and were attempting to use the tragedy to gain a political advantage.

In an interview on a conservative podcast, Carr suggested that companies could address the issue involving Kimmel themselves. Otherwise, he indicated the Federal Communications Commission might need to take further action.

As a big fan, I was really bummed to hear that two of the stations broadcasting the show pulled it off the air. Then ABC announced it was basically cancelled for now – they said it would be ‘preempted indefinitely,’ which I guess means no new episodes anytime soon. It’s a real shame!

The deaths of Kirk and Kimmel’s temporary removal from television – after CBS canceled Stephen Colbert’s show – sparked a heated discussion about free speech in the United States. Kimmel and Colbert have both been critical of Trump, while Kirk was a strong supporter of his.

Hollywood Inc.

As a longtime viewer, I was shocked when Jimmy Kimmel was briefly pulled off the air after his comments about Charlie Kirk. But I’ve learned that Nexstar and Sinclair, two huge companies that own a ton of ABC stations across the country, actually put a lot of pressure on the network to do something about it. It’s pretty concerning to me that these companies could influence what happens on the air like that.

First Amendment experts and advocates believe the administration and Carr are improperly pressuring media companies.

According to Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of UC Berkeley Law School, the actions taken by Carr represent a wider effort by the administration to suppress free speech, demonstrating a significant lack of understanding and respect for First Amendment rights.

According to Summer Lopez, acting co-leader of PEN America, we’re facing a critical time for free speech in the United States. She points to several actions taken during the Trump administration as direct breaches of First Amendment rights. These include threats made by Carr, as well as comments on ‘hate speech’ by Attorney General Pam Bondi, and new rules imposed by the Pentagon that limit how journalists can report on the U.S. military.

She pointed out that Jimmy Kimmel’s return to ABC proved that public outcry can be effective, but emphasized that we need to create similar strong reactions when the focus is on people who aren’t as well-known.

Critics on the right, including Senator Ted Cruz, who leads the Senate committee that oversees the FCC, have also voiced concerns. Senator Cruz recently stated on his podcast that he believes it’s extremely risky for the government to decide which speech is acceptable and threaten to remove broadcasters based on their opinions.

Cruz stated he has a good working relationship with Carr, but strongly disagreed with Carr’s recent comments, calling them extremely dangerous and warning they could be used to suppress conservative voices in the future.

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2025-09-23 02:01