MaddowBlog- On the FCC and Kimmel, Ted Cruz's first step was good, but a second would be better

[LetMyPeopleVote]

The Texas Republican compared the FCC chair to an organized crime figure, but what exactly is the senator prepared to do about it?

Trump’s directive to Pam Bondi should be seen for what it effectively was: a confession in which he acknowledged his guilt in a corrupt and authoritarian scheme. www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2025-09-22T12:02:22.855Z

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/fcc-kimmel-ted-cruz-first-amendment-rcna232900

A tiny number of congressional Republicans have acknowledged a simple truth: Carr went too far. On NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” for example, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky conceded that the FCC chair’s threats were “absolutely inappropriate.”

Two days earlier, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas went even further, describing Carr’s threats as reminiscent of organized crime. The New York Times reported:

‘He says, “We can do this the easy way, or we can do this the hard way.’’’ Mr. Cruz said on his podcast ‘Verdict with Ted Cruz,’ quoting Mr. Carr verbatim. ‘And I’ve got to say, that’s right out of Goodfellas. That’s right out of a mafioso coming into a bar going, “Nice bar you have here, it’d be a shame if something happened to it.’’’ He went on to warn that a crackdown on speech on the left by the Trump administration would come back to bite conservatives the next time Democrats hold the White House.

The senator’s comments were not entirely one sided — Cruz also criticized Kimmel and praised Carr as “a good guy” — but he nevertheless concluded that the FCC chair’s threats were “dangerous as hell.”

Ted Cruz on Brendan Carr threatening ABC over Jimmy Kimmel: “That’s right out of Goodfellas… We shouldn't be threatening government power to force him off air. That's a real mistake.”

— The Bulwark (@thebulwark.com) 2025-09-19T17:23:51.246Z

Cruz’s comments are certainly a welcome contribution to the public conversation, but there’s no reason that his first step should be his last. NBC News reported:

Democrats on the Senate Commerce Committee are demanding an oversight hearing with Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr in a new letter to Committee Chairman Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. ‘As the Committee with jurisdiction over the FCC, it is our constitutional duty to conduct oversight over this matter and demand Chairman Carr answer for this unprecedented attack on the First Amendment,’ wrote Committee Democrats, led by Ranking Member Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash

.

In a direct appeal to Cruz, they added, “You have long prioritized conducting oversight to ensure our government is not being used to weaponize the censorship of speech. At a time when free speech is under threat, this hearing could not be more important for the American people. We look forward to working with you on this hearing with Chairman Carr and upholding our duty to conduct robust oversight over the FCC.”.....

So the question for the GOP senator is obvious: If the FCC’s recent moves are “dangerous” and Carr sounds like an organized crime boss, is the Senate Commerce Committee prepared to take the matter seriously — or is Cruz content to wring his hands on a podcast before moving on?