By Richard Manning
The Federal Communications Commission oversees regulations impacting our nation’s broadcasters. Rules creating an important and delicate balance to ensure the airwaves meet the needs of the public whether they be in the most rural parts of America or the most urban.
President Joe Biden has continued to mistakenly push the nomination of Gigi Sohn, who has failed to garner the necessary votes for Senate confirmation in both 2021 and 2022. Now, he is pressing the Senate once more for this radical nominee’s confirmation. A confirmation which would tip the balance on the FCC.
Every nominee brings their own baggage and that is to be expected, but Ms. Sohn is carrying a truck load. As a private citizen she has advocated that the FCC deny the licenses of broadcasters who she perceives present too conservative of a viewpoint. It is fine for her to hold these views, but it is not okay for her to be confirmed to serve on the FCC, where she will have power to impose this government driven information censorship on the broadcasting community.
While unfortunately, the left no longer believes in the adage that I don’t agree with what you say, but will fight to the death to defend your right to say it, instead replacing it with your language offends me so I’m going to have you de-platformed so no one can hear it.
But even those who think banning speech that is not approved by those in power in the federal government is fine should be concerned about Gigi Sohn’s record of irresponsibility as an advisor to a past FCC Chairman. Ms. Sohn has the audacity to leak information with the goal of submarining a bipartisan compromise which she opposed.
Commissions like the FCC depend upon the members being able to trust one another to have frank and honest discussions between members and staff in order to come to conclusions on many issues confronting them. Sohn’s demonstrated willingness to undermine this process because the end result doesn’t meet her radical philosophy.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell rejected Sohn today saying, “The country needs our FCC commissioners to be thoughtful, sober, nonpartisan referees. Not activists and ideologues who want to bend our airwaves to their agenda.”
He is right. America faces many problems in the upcoming couple of years, the last thing we need is a partisan wrecking crew in charge of the FCC disrupting our over the airwaves broadcast system. There simply is no place on a body as important to freedom of expression as our nation’s FCC for a speech banning radical idealogue like Gigi Sohn.
Americans for Limited Government strongly urges the U.S. Senate to reject her nomination when and if it should come to the floor.
Rick Manning is president of Americans for Limited Government.
