Pallone and Doyle Request Hearing with FCC Commissioners on Trump’s Threats Against Broadcasters

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 12, 2017

Call on FCC Chairman to Disavow President’s First Amendment Threats

Washington, D.C. – Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Ranking Member Mike Doyle (D-PA) today called for a hearing with Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai and the other FCC Commissioners so that they can publicly disavow President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to revoke NBC’s broadcaster license due to its reporting:

“Over the past few days the President has repeatedly attacked news outlets and their FCC licenses. This threat alone may already be chilling free-speech across the country. That is why we and others have called on the FCC Chairman to immediately condemn this intimidation and promise to the American public that he will not follow through on the directions he has received from the President. Despite our calls, the Chairman has refused to say if he agrees with the President. We therefore ask for a hearing as soon as possible with all five FCC Commissioners so that they can publicly and under oath commit that they will not threaten broadcasters or their licenses because of the content of their reporting. Every day that goes by without comment from the FCC Chairman is a continued threat to the First Amendment.”