'FCC has no business threatening to take away broadcast licenses': Outgoing commissioner

The outgoing Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Jessica Rosenworcel condemned President-elect Trump’s threat to punish broadcast networks that he says are not fair to him.

“The FCC has no business threatening to take away broadcast licenses because the president does not like the content or coverage on a network,” Rosenworcel said on the most recent POLITICO Tech podcast. “And that same First Amendment duty applies to what is out there online.”

Trump began lashing out against broadcast news networks after his presidential debate against Vice President Harris on ABC. During the debate, anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis offered real-time fact checks of his false or misleading statements.

During her campaign, Harris also appeared on CBS’s “60 Minutes.” The program offered the same interview to Trump, who declined. He then went after the network after it aired the interview with Harris, saying the network “sliced and diced” the interview to cast Harris in a positive light and should have their licenses revoked.

Rosenworcel said that it is not the FCC’s place to carry out Trump’s threats against the media.

“We make decisions about communications based on the record, based on the facts, and based on the law,” she said. “And not based on the whims coming out of the White House or the grievances of the president.”

Rosenworcel spoke out against Trump’s comments back when the CBS interview aired.

“As I’ve said before, the First Amendment is a cornerstone of our democracy,” Rosenworcel said back in October in a statement to The Hill. “The FCC does not and will not revoke licenses for broadcast stations simply because a political candidate disagrees with or dislikes content or coverage.”

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