A conservative commentator faced pushback from fellow panelists on “CNN This Morning” for justifying the second indictment against former FBI Director James Comey and the federal investigation of TV stations that broadcast Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night talk show.
The Department of Justice secured an indictment against Comey for a social media post spelling out the message “86 47,” which prosecutors say represented a violent threat against President Donald Trump, and the Federal Communications Commission, which has directed Walt Disney Co. to file early license renewal applications for its ABC affiliates after Trump and his wife called on the company to fire Kimmel.
“Well, first of all, I just got to say I do feel bad for all my Democratic friends who have to pretend that Jimmy Kimmel is funny,” laughed conservative activist Terry Schilling. “He’s a far cry from David Letterman.”
“Hey, we’re not here for comedy critiques,” interrupted host Audie Cornish. “Okay, I’m here for free speech arguments. What is the argument now that Republicans are in power about how to deal with free speech?”
Schilling changed his demeanor and argued that Trump’s critics were playing a game.
“Well, the reality is, is that they’re playing a game,” Schilling said. “Jimmy Kimmel is obviously playing a game. He’s getting as close to that line as possible to cause controversy, to get more eyeballs. But the reality is, is if you make jokes about the president’s death, you get looked at, you get investigated. The FBI, the Secret Service comes to your door. But this, it’s just kind of annoying to me because you have James Comey and, and Kimmel like running from the bit. If you’re going to make the joke, commit to it. Don’t be a coward. You made the jokes, you said the things you were trying to be edgy, own it respectfully.”
Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright heard enough.
“I don’t think you want to address the real issue here, and the real issue is convenient speech,” Seawright said. “Republicans want to celebrate and uplift convenient speech. What this says to me is this is another page in the catalog to silence and suffocate the voices of people who do not agree with the president and this administration. We’ve seen this at the ballot box with some of the tactics.”
“They uplift free speech when it’s convenient for them or when it fits the mold or the mold they want it to, but yet when someone criticized the president or we see resistance to the idea of what conservatives who are in charge believe, then all of a sudden it becomes a problem,” he added, “and I think state-run media is what Republicans in this moment are aiming for.”
Schilling took another whack at the topic by asking about President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice investigating parents who spoke up at school board meetings during the Covid-19 pandemic, although those cases more accurately involved threats against officials, and Seawright underlined the crucial difference.
“Name a time when anyone from the Biden-Harris administration threaten the license of a TV network,” Seawright said.
“Because the TV networks are all on them, and there were calls to go after Fox, period,” Schilling interjected. “There were calls to go after Fox.”
Cornish jumped in to disagree.
“I don’t think TV networks treated Biden with loving care,” she said. “I mean, they could have easily complained about coverage in the same way.”
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