Disney Sues FCC Over Alleged Political Vendetta
The Walt Disney Company and its ABC television affiliates have filed a lawsuit against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) alleging that the agency has violated their constitutional right to free speech.
The suit, which was filed on August 18 in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, claims that the FCC initiated an unusually early review of the eight stations' broadcast licenses in April as part of a 'sustained effort' to punish or suppress disfavored expression.
The complaint alleges that the Trump administration is pursuing a political vendetta against ABC for what it perceives to be biased reporting, along with the persistent criticism of the president by late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel.
An FCC spokesperson provided a statement saying that 'all broadcasters have a legal obligation to operate in the public interest' and that the FCC is merely trying to restore this standard.