FCC Chair Brendan Carr accused of presiding over censorship, told to resign in tense hearing exchange

Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., reprimanded Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr during a Wednesday hearing, saying he should resign over what the senator called “mafia threats.”

Carr appeared before the Senate Commerce Committee to discuss his call in September for broadcasters to consider removing ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel from the air — a move critics said amounted to a veiled threat against ABC and Disney over comments Kimmel made about the alleged Charlie Kirk assassin.

Markey pressed Carr during the hearing, citing the chairman’s past social media posts about defending the First Amendment.

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Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey grilled the FCC chairman over his past statements. (Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

“That’s why your threats against ABC and Disney over Jimmy Kimmel’s political monologue were so outrageous,” Markey said.

 “And here’s what you said in September of 2025 as the chairman of the FCC: ‘We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct or take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.’ That statement was roundly condemned across the political spectrum. Chairman [Sen. Ted] Cruz called it ‘dangerous as hell.’ Chairman Carr, do you regret making that statement? Yes or no?”

Carr responded by saying that his job, first and foremost, is to enforce the law. 

“So just to be clear: your position is that your mafia threats had nothing to do with Nexstar and Sinclair and Disney’s decisions to preempt and suspend Kimmel. Is that your position? That you had nothing to do with the suspension of Kimmel?” Markey asked.

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Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr was peppered with questions on Wednesday during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing.  (Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

When Carr noted that all the media companies involved — Nexstar, Sinclair and Disney — said they strictly made business decisions to temporarily suspend Kimmel’s show, Markey argued it was a distinction without a difference.

“Again, you’re refusing to take accountability for your own words,” Markey said. “You intimidate the companies — they do what you want — and then you say, ‘Well, it was up to them,’” You’re the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. Actually, you’re now the chairman of the Federal Censorship Commission.”

“And these broadcasters — they feel that censorship. You have broad authority over the media industry, especially broadcasters. Your words and actions matter,” the lawmaker added.

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The brief suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel continues to cast a long shadow over American politics. (Randy Holmes/Getty)

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Markey later concluded, “He is turning the Federal Communications Commission into the Federal Censorship Commission. It’s a betrayal of the FCC’s mission. You should resign, Mr. Chairman. You are creating a chilling effect.”