Ro Khanna Takes on FCC’s Brendan Carr Over Trump Vaccine on ABC

representative Ro Khanna (D-CA) clashed with the commissioner Brendan Carr, the top Republican official at the Federal Communications Commission, during a House hearing Thursday.

Carr appeared as a GOP witness at the Oversight Committee hearing, titled “A Legacy of Incompetence: The Consequences of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Policy Failures.”

“You didn’t answer Mr. Raskin’s simple question about ABC and the revocation of the license. I don’t need to know whether you make the same decisions with Democrats or Republicans. I just want to know simply, based on the debate about ABC in your role as a former FCC commissioner, do you think that constitutes grounds for revoking ABC’s license?” Khanna asked Carr.

“Thank you. What I said is consistent, what I’ve said over the last six years, that every decision, including in the licensing context, is a decision that I will make based on the facts, the record,” Carr responded.

“So what’s your view? The whole country has the facts. We’ve all seen the debate. I mean, it’s not like a complicated question based on these facts, based on what David Muir “I did, based on the questions that were asked. Would you recommend that the license be revoked? President Trump obviously has an opinion on that. He has. What is your opinion?” Khanna pressed.

“Look, I think I’ve made it pretty clear again, I was nominated by both President Biden and…” Carr said as Khanna interjected, “That doesn’t answer the question. That doesn’t answer the question…”

The two men spoke at the same time and Khanna could be heard saying, “I’m not trying to be a debate moderator, but it’s a simple question!”

“That answer would never get through in a debate. I mean, come on. It’s a simple question. Do you believe, do you agree with President Trump’s opinion that, look, at least I respect the fact that Trump has an opinion. Just give us your opinion. Yes or no?” Khanna asked again.

“My view is that the FCC should apply the law in each case,” Carr responded.

“Yeah. I say, how would you apply that here? If Trump had looked at the debate, he would have said the debate was unfair. He says one thing that people respect about him. He says what he believes. You sit here and don’t give us your opinion. Just say, yes, I agree with President Trump or no, I don’t agree with him. That’s what people hate, they hate the obfuscation. Just take a stand. Is that so hard?” Khanna said.

“My position is clear. What you’re raising are concerns about militarization. I think it’s important that we talk about that when we transfer the radio station licenses,” Carr said as Khanna tried to intervene again.

Chairman of the Committee James Comer (R-KY) stepped in and said, “Let the witness answer the question.”

“A license transfer in South Florida to a group that people thought were conservative buyers. Democrats said the FCC should block it because the election depended on it,” Carr responded.

“But my question is very simple. It is based on debate and on debate…” Khanna asked again as the two spoke at the same time.

Finally, Khanna said: “Let me try one last time, based on the debate, do you think the questions were unfair or rigged in a way that requires the revocation of ABC’s license as President Trump has made very clear. I respect that he’s very clear on his views. Do you agree or disagree with his views? It’s a yes or no.”

“I think my position has been very clear since 2017,” Carr began as Comer said, “The gentlemen’s time has expired, but feel free to ask the question.”

“I’ve maintained a very consistent position, but if your concern is weaponization, we should talk about that. When President Biden stood at the White House podium and said Elon Musk deserves scrutiny, and then all of a sudden the FCC abruptly reversed its 2020 decision to give him $885 million to bring broadband to 640,000 people, I think that’s concerning. When Democrats in Congress are writing letters to cable companies asking them to drop Fox News because of those decisions, I think that’s concerning. And so I think you’ve seen in my record a consistent pattern of always basing my decisions at the FCC on the law, the facts, and the First Amendment. That’s what I’ve done. That’s what I will always do.”

Watch the clip above via C-SPAN.

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