After stops in DC and LA, FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez took her First Amendment Tour to a very different locale: rural Appalachia. Now outnumbered politically on the FCC for the first time in her tenure, she delivered a forceful critique of recent federal actions.
Commissioner Gomez spoke in Whitesburg, a town of 1,658 in the far eastern region of Kentucky, with continued warnings of what she calls an unprecedented campaign of government censorship under the Trump administration.
“I must admit that our current political moment poses challenges unlike anything I had thought I would face as an FCC commissioner. This administration has been on a campaign to censor and control since before day one. And since day one, the FCC has been implementing the will of this administration and undermining the First Amendment at every turn,” said Gomez.
She cited recent FCC investigations into news networks’ editorial decisions, pressure on public media, and interference in corporate labor practices as evidence of federal overreach.
Donald Trump overwhelmingly carried Letcher County, where Whitesburg resides, during the 2024 election with 81% of voters. Even so, local participants echoed Gomez’s concerns about the growing fragility of press freedoms in the US and the essential role of regional journalism, including the event’s host, Center for Rural Strategies President Dee Davis.
Gomez warned that federal regulators, including the FCC itself, are increasingly being weaponized to silence dissent, pressure media organizations, and undermine long-held press freedoms. She pointed to high-profile resignations at CBS News, including 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens and CBS News President Wendy McMahon, alleging they stepped down under political pressure tied to parent company Paramount’s regulatory dealings.
The session also explored other First Amendment protections, including freedom of religion, peaceful assembly, and the right to petition the government. Several speakers shared personal stories of community activism in Eastern Kentucky, underscoring how press freedom and civic engagement intersect in rural America.
Gomez closed with a call to action. “We need to take care of our precious liberties. And the way that we do that is by being aware, by speaking up, and by pushing back.” She also pledged to continue the First Amendment Tour regardless of her own political future at the Commission, which has become a cause for concern among many Democrats.
