Trump FCC nominee sidesteps Democrats’ questions on Carr’s agenda
Democratic senators pressed Danielle Thumann on the regulator's treatment of ABC and press freedom, while she gave few direct answers.
Key points
- Danielle Thumann, a senior counsel to FCC chairman Brendan Carr, had a contentious Senate hearing on her commissioner nomination.
- Democrats questioned her on an April order requiring ABC to apply early to renew its station licences.
- Thumann said she was not familiar with the ABC investigation and had not discussed Jimmy Kimmel with Carr.
- She acknowledged that editorial decisions are protected by the First Amendment for broadcasters.
- Republicans control the Senate and House, so her confirmation is expected, according to The Guardian.
Danielle Thumann, a senior counsel to Federal Communications Commission chairman Brendan Carr, faced a tough round of questions on Tuesday at her Senate confirmation hearing. According to The Guardian, Democratic senators focused on recent moves by the regulator that critics say threaten press freedom. Thumann has been nominated to serve as a commissioner.
Thumann is widely expected to be approved, since Republicans hold both the Senate and the House. Even so, Democrats made clear they plan to examine the commission closely once they take control of the Senate in January.
Questions focus on ABC and Jimmy Kimmel
Senator Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico repeatedly asked whether Thumann backed the commission’s actions toward ABC. One key step was an order issued in late April requiring ABC to apply early to renew its local station licences. That move came shortly after criticism of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel from President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump. Carr has also been accused of pressuring ABC affiliates to stop airing Kimmel’s show the previous autumn.
Thumann said she had not worked with Carr on media matters and did not know the details of the ABC investigation or its licence review. She also said she had not taken part in any discussions about Kimmel. When Luján pressed her to name an issue on which she had disagreed with Carr, she did not give an example.
First Amendment concerns raised
Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts asked whether the FCC can penalise a broadcaster because the president dislikes its news coverage. He argued that constitutional limits rule this out. Markey accused Thumann of avoiding his questions and said nominees must be ready to defend the First Amendment.
Senator Tammy Duckworth asked whether Thumann would give in to political pressure to punish networks. Thumann said the commission must handle complaints about the outlets it regulates. She also acknowledged that editorial decisions are protected for broadcasters, and said a licence decision should not rest simply on displeasure with content.
Procedural dispute and wider context
Several Democrats argued that the Senate Commerce Committee should not have held the hearing. They said that if Republicans nominate another member of their party, they should follow past practice and also nominate a Democrat.
Only one current commissioner was picked by a Democratic president: Anna M Gomez, and her time in the post has formally run out. Before the session ended, Luján warned Carr that he would be called to answer questions regularly in both the Senate and the House. He also referred to subpoena powers that could be used to compel answers. The source reports do not include a response from Carr.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Danielle Thumann?
Danielle Thumann serves as senior counsel to FCC chairman Brendan Carr. She has been nominated by Donald Trump to serve as an FCC commissioner.
Why did Democrats question the FCC nominee?
Democrats asked about recent FCC actions that critics say are hostile to press freedom. These included an April order requiring ABC to apply early to renew its station licences.
Is Thumann expected to be confirmed?
According to The Guardian, Thumann is expected to be approved because Republicans control the Senate and the House. Democrats say they will scrutinise the commission more closely when they take charge of the Senate in January.
Sources
This article was written with the help of AI from reports by the outlets listed above. See our Editorial Policy. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
