Dems urge FCC head to take tougher stance against Trump’s media attacks

Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday called on Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai to take a tougher stand against President Trump over calls the president made to challenge broadcast licenses. 

The push comes after Trump suggested last week that the federal government should “challenge” broadcast licenses in response to an NBC report saying the president had expressed a desire to increase America’s nuclear arsenal. 

{mosads}“Chairman Pai was right to assure the public that the FCC cannot revoke any broadcast licenses based on the content of a specific newscast, but I am disappointed that the Chairman continues to remain silent on the President’s ongoing efforts to intimidate and threaten news outlets,” said Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (N.J.), the top Democrat in the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Pallone and others want Pai to directly denounce Trump’s call for the FCC to take action against NBC.

“What we needed is a full-throated defense of the independence of the FCC against political interference,” Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said in a statement also criticizing Pai’s response.

“This statement is short of the clear and unambiguous message that I want in response [to Trump’s tweet],” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told The Hill on Tuesday. 

Democratic Senate Commerce Committee members Schatz, Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) are calling for an FCC oversight hearing to directly press the chairman to address Trump’s comments. Commerce Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), as well as Blumenthal, all signed a letter supporting the hearing.

“It is imperative that FCC Chairman Pai and his fellow Commissioners address this Committee and respond to the President’s stated desire for regulatory abuse of his perceived critics at the FCC,” they wrote.

The lawmakers’ criticism comes after Pai fielded a question during an AT&T Policy event on Trump’s tweet attacking NBC.

“Under the law, the FCC does not have the authority to revoke license of a broadcast station based on content of a program,” said Pai, who was appointed by Trump. 

Pai’s comments came in response to a question regarding one of Trump’s tweets last week, in which he directly attacked NBC.

“With all of the Fake News coming out of NBC and the Networks, at what point is it appropriate to challenge their License? Bad for country!” Trump tweeted.

“Network news has become so partisan, distorted and fake that licenses must be challenged and, if appropriate, revoked. Not fair to public!” he wrote in a separate tweet.

Almost immediately after the remarks, lawmakers and government officials called on Pai to denounce the president’s comments. Pai did not speak on the matter until Tuesday.

The FCC chairman had previously faced pressure from Democratic lawmakers after Trump called The New York Times, NBC and CNN “fake news media.”

Following a grilling by Democratic senators in the spring, Pai said he was committed to the First Amendment but qualified that he would not “wade into that kind of political debate.”

Pai has been at consistent odds with Democrats since becoming chairman in February. The two have fought over broadband privacy rules that would have prevented internet service providers from selling consumer data, and fiercely clashed on net neutrality rules, which Pai has said he wants to roll back.