John,
The First Amendment is not a bargaining chip.
Freedom of speech and a free press are the bedrock of American democracy -- rights so deeply ingrained in our national DNA that no authoritarian campaign can drive them from the American spirit.
But Trump’s FCC Chair, Brendan Carr, has become the enforcer of Trump’s anti-democratic media crusade -- a political wiseguy using intimidation to silence dissent. When comedian Jimmy Kimmel dared to criticize Trump’s followers after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Carr threatened ABC’s broadcast license if Kimmel wasn’t taken off the air.
It was an act so blatantly unconstitutional, so dripping with mob-style coercion, that no prior administration would have dared attempt it.
Now, the New York Times reports that Carr plans to keep targeting outlets accused of “liberal bias” -- in other words, anyone who dares question Trump. His message couldn’t be clearer: the First Amendment doesn’t apply to critics of the regime. And his own words sound like something out of a mob movie: “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”
That’s not the language of democracy -- it’s the language of extortion.
Send a message to your Representative: Defend the First Amendment. Impeach FCC Chair Brendan Carr and take back the freedom of speech that defines us.
Carr’s behavior is profoundly undemocratic -- an insult to every American who’s ever fought for the right to speak freely and hold power accountable. But his intimidation campaign will fail. The First Amendment is older, stronger, and far more resilient than any would-be censor in a suit.
Independent FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez is the lone voice on the Commission sounding the alarm as she says, “What concerns me is how this administration is using every lever of power in order to bring broadcasters to heel, which is contrary to the First Amendment.”
Carr has turned his federal post into a weapon, strong-arming every major media outlet except Fox News -- ABC, CBS, NBC, all under threat -- while Trump has gutted PBS and NPR. Their endgame is clear: control the narrative, crush criticism, and silence dissent.
Our endgame must be just as clear: hold them accountable. Congress must act -- and it starts with the impeachment of Brendan Carr.
Tell your U.S. House Representative: Impeach FCC Chair Brendan Carr!
Thank you for helping to stop Trump’s hostile media takeover.
- DFA AF Team
