Shockwaves rippled through Washington and Hollywood this week after ABC abruptly yanked Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show from the air.
The move came after the comedian’s controversial remarks about Charlie Kirk’s assassination, sparking a fierce debate over free speech, private rights, and political influence.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, appearing on Fox News Thursday, defended ABC’s choice to suspend Kimmel indefinitely.
He argued that private companies have the right to establish and enforce standards for their employees, particularly when remarks risk fanning the flames of violence.
“My background is in the courts. I was a federal court litigator, literally defended free speech as a career for about 20 years, religious freedom and the freedom of speech and our fundamental rights. We have to jealously guard that, you know,” Johnson told Bret Baier during the interview.
“And I think we are. ABC is a private company. You’ve heard a lot of consternation about private companies firing or reprimanding employees for going online and glorifying the tragic death of a young father and young husband, and it’s detestable.”
The Speaker said that Kimmel’s online activity crossed the line, giving ABC grounds to act.
Johnson maintained that such action did not breach constitutional protections.
“In the private employer space, you have all the right in the world to have standards for your company, standards for your broadcast brand. And, you know, they get to make that decision,” he remarked.
“And I don’t think that’s a violation of the First Amendment. You don’t have a First Amendment right to stay employed if you’re going to engage in that kind of crazy action online, and, in many cases, it really is inciting further violence. It’s a serious problem.”
The fallout reached Capitol Hill almost immediately. By Thursday, top Democrats launched a counteroffensive, targeting FCC Chair Brendan Carr and accusing the Trump administration of weaponizing the federal government against dissenters.
Rep. Eric Swalwell of California took direct aim at Carr, warning him to “get a lawyer” in preparation for a Democratic majority after the next election.
“I want to make it clear, there’s going to be a Democratic majority in just over a year,” Swalwell said in a committee hearing.
“And to the FCC chairperson and anyone involved in these dirty deals, get a lawyer and save your records because you’re going to be in this room and you’re going to be answering questions about the deals that you struck and who benefited and what the cost was to the American people because that happened.”
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Swalwell’s warning came as House Republicans blocked Rep. Ro Khanna’s attempt to subpoena Carr for testimony before the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
The effort failed on a narrow 24-21 vote, split along party lines.
Khanna, also a California Democrat, called the suspension of Kimmel’s show the “largest assault on the First Amendment and free speech in modern history.”
He accused Carr and the Trump administration of hypocrisy, pointing to repeated Republican criticisms of cancel culture while simultaneously celebrating the late-night host’s removal from the airwaves.
“They’re making comedy illegal. Brendan Carr pressured ABC to cancel Jimmy Kimmel and Disney cancels Jimmy Kimmel,” Khanna told lawmakers.
He charged that Trump’s allies in government were attempting to control what Americans could watch by intimidating media outlets.
Rep. Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the Oversight Committee, signaled his determination to push the matter forward despite the failed subpoena vote.
Garcia said he would work with committee chair James Comer of Kentucky to ensure Carr eventually testifies.
In addition, Garcia announced the launch of a probe into Kimmel’s indefinite suspension.
Speaking later on MSNBC’s “Deadline,” Garcia underscored the potential chilling effect of government officials pressuring media companies.
“The news media and these large media organizations play an important and key role in delivering information to the public and when they are going to essentially do what the President of the United States wants, because he may not agree with an opinion of a late night talk show host, I think we have a role in the Congress to investigate that.”
Garcia stressed the broader implications, adding, “We cannot have the President of the United States or any administration, regardless of party control, the news media and what Americans are watching. This is why we have to investigate this.”
