Transcript:
No one has a right to a television show, and Jimmy Kimmel is no exception. But his sacking opens a terrifying new era of government censorship in the United States, and it builds on a model of extortion that Donald Trump was already using against other news organizations, law firms and universities.
The latest chapter opened in July after Stephen Colbert was sacked by CBS. At that time, Trump said, "Next up, Jimmy Kimmel." That signaled FCC chair Brendan Carr to look for an excuse to silence Kimmel, which he has no right to do. It's far beyond the duties of the chair of the FCC to have anything to say about content.
On Monday, Kimmel gave Carr that excuse. He said that MAGA had been "scoring political points" in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's assassination. That was indisputably true. But today, Brendan Carr called that really commonplace comment, which had occasioned no attention at all when he made it, quote, "the sickest conduct possible," and then threatened ABC affiliates with losing their licenses.
So now Kimmel's departure puts the country at a crossroads. Will we move in the direction of restricting civil liberties and censoring criticism of the President, or will we stand up for free expression?
Fear is contagious. Bending the knee is contagious. But courage is contagious, too.
