Ted Cruz blasts FCC chair’s ‘mafioso’ removal tactic

Senator Ted Cruz has become the most prominent Republican to criticise Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr, saying President Donald Trump's top media regulator resorted to “mafioso” behaviour to pressure Disney Corp's ABC to remove late night host Jimmy Kimmel.

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Mr Cruz, the chairman of the Commerce Committee and a frequent defender of the Trump administration, took to his podcast in the wake of Mr Kimmel’s indefinite suspension this week to describe Mr Carr's actions as “dangerous”.

Mr Carr earlier in the week implied on another podcast that ABC could face serious consequences from the government over Mr Kimmel’s remarks about the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Only hours later, ABC pulled Mr Kimmel’s show.

Mr Cruz said he doesn’t believe the government should punish media companies over political disagreements.