FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez has expressed support for ABC and Disney’s lawsuit against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), highlighting the case’s significance in safeguarding the First Amendment. During an interview with Morning Edition, Gomez, the sole Democrat on the commission, emphasized the importance of such challenges.
“Disney has found its courage, and it is pushing back,” Gomez stated in her conversation with NPR’s Leila Fadel. “And this is good. It’s good for the First Amendment. It’s good for the public, and it’s good for broadcasters in general.”
The lawsuit stems from allegations by ABC and Disney that the FCC retaliates against the network for its news content and programming. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has defended the agency’s actions, asserting they are upholding the public interest. In remarks to NPR’s David Folkenflik, Carr mentioned that the FCC is still deliberating on whether to renew licenses for eight ABC-owned stations.
Gomez has dismissed Carr’s defense, arguing that the concept of public interest is being used to suppress disliked content. She remarked that maintaining First Amendment rights is not a partisan issue, citing that both former Republican FCC chairs and current Republican senators Ted Cruz and John Kennedy have voiced similar concerns.
“Protecting the First Amendment is not a partisan issue,” Gomez remarked, noting the bipartisan support for preserving these rights.
For the full conversation, listen via the audio player above. This digital piece was written by Majd Al-Waheidi and edited by Treye Green.
Editor’s note: Disney is a financial supporter of NPR.
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