“If I get fired, it isn’t because I didn’t do my job – it’s because I insisted on doing it.” That statement from an increasingly bold Anna Gomez, as the FCC Commissioner took a fiery, no-holds-barred stance on the Commission’s recent actions at a Los Angeles town hall.
Commissioner Gomez used her first “First Amendment Tour” stop outside of the nation’s capital to issue a sweeping condemnation of what she described as “an administration-wide campaign” to chill dissent, intimidate media institutions, and weaponize federal regulatory power against journalists and newsrooms. The event drew local media leaders and journalists who say they’re facing increasing political and regulatory pressure to self-censor under the Trump administration.
“I don’t know why I’m still in my position,” Gomez said during a tense exchange near the end of the panel, referencing a wave of firings of Democratic commissioners and leaders across multiple federal agencies. “I may not be in this position throughout my whole term, which would be illegal and disregard the will of Congress because I was confirmed for a term that does not expire for another couple of years.”
“This is not just about one agency,” said Gomez. “We’ve seen the FCC, FTC, and other arms of this administration launch a full-court press to suppress speech they don’t like. These aren’t isolated actions. This is coordinated, and the goal is clear: stop people from speaking out.”
Gomez warned that the FCC, under the direction of Chairman Brendan Carr, is actively investigating newsrooms over editorial decisions and targeting public broadcasters under the guise of compliance checks. The Commissioner said she has heard directly from broadcasters who are instructing reporters to “be careful” when covering the administration, citing fears of corporate retaliation tied to FCC oversight or pending business with other federal agencies.
“Freedom of the press requires journalists that are able to do their job without interference from their corporate parents,” she said. “We are not seeing that today.”
Among the media leaders on the panel was LAist CEO Alejandra Santamaria, who discussed how her NPR-affiliated public radio station is currently the subject of an open FCC investigation into its sponsorship and underwriting disclosures. While she expressed confidence that LAist is in compliance, she warned that the financial and logistical burden of the probe, like legal fees, staffing, and administrative demands, is considerable.
The broader threat comes from proposed federal budget cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Santamaria noted that a total withdrawal of CPB funding would eliminate roughly $1.7 million annually from her organization’s budget – equivalent to 13 newsroom positions.
Finally, when asked about the legal implications of Chairman Carr’s “Delete, Delete, Delete” initiative, particularly its absence from the Federal Register, Commissioner Gomez said she was not aware of any immediate plans to bypass standard rulemaking procedures under the “good cause” exemption outlined in a recent executive order. That exemption would allow the Commission to eliminate rules without public comment or a full Commission vote. However, Gomez cautioned that once a Republican majority is in place next month, such changes could be pushed through.
“I’m deeply concerned about what might happen in the media ownership proceeding,” Gomez said, referencing ongoing debates over consolidation and localism in radio and television station ownership.
Commissioner Gomez’s accusations depict an agency in deep crisis, openly at war with itself over its mission to protect the free press. Her stark warning is made all the more dramatic by the fact that the FCC is now paralyzed without a quorum, leaving these serious charges in a state of political limbo.
As a populist and Trump supporter, we were censored, cancelled, deleted, shadow banned and outright silenced during Covid and Biden by big tech collusion with the U.S. government. The Left wing liberal media did this, now what did you expect? Chairman Carr is opening the hood of censorship and bias for all to see how deep it was. Finally, a leader at FCC.
Hmmmm, 4 years of the Biden Admin persecuting Christians, Pro-Lifers, and anyone who disagreed with the blather of the MSM has led to this. Really stinks when the shoe is on the other foot.
Really? Show us the proof. I dare you to find anything remotely like the assault on truth and decency we are seeing today in Project 2025 America.
Should I assume the “us” you speak of includes you and the mouse in your pocket then? Clearly, your ability to recall recent history has been impaired.
The First Amendment is worth fighting for…this administration, and by extension, Chairman Carr, are a threat to free speech.
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