Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) said on Wednesday he plans to introduce legislation that would make it easier for the American people to sue the federal government over censorship.
The announcement comes after Cruz criticized the White House’s call for ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel's removal from the air after the Trump-loathing "comedian" suggested — with zero proof or evidence — that a MAGA Republican was responsible for the assassination of Turning Point USA co-founder and CEO Charlie Kirk.
As RedState readers likely recall, Cruz was roundly criticized by members of his own party, and others — likely because in their minds, he was defending Kimmel. Not so, insists Cruz; he was defending free speech — while criticizing those in the government who backed or called for Kimmel's suspension.
Cruz specifically criticized Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr for threatening action against Kimmel after the no-longer-funny-man's unfounded and irresponsible comments about Kirk's alleged assassin.
Be Careful What You Wish For...
Now is as good a time as any to put this out there:
Typically, the party in power tends to support suppression or censorship of those who attack it, while the opposition — the ones doing most of the attacking — do not. By that logic, in my view, the GOP should tread carefully about what it’s asking for — a caution that happens to be one of Cruz’s central arguments.
Cruz said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal:
Censorship is wrong, regardless of who's doing it.
The Texan also said he hopes his anti-censorship bill will receive bipartisan support after the Kimmel fiasco, suggesting that some Democrats would back his legislation.
Cruz also told The Journal his bill would establish a legal framework and new definitions for courts and federal agencies to follow. The bill, he said, would reportedly carve out exceptions for speech not protected under the law, such as non-consensual adult imagery.
"Perhaps that poses an opportunity for us to work together in a bipartisan way," Cruz stated.
Cruz said during his own podcast after Kimmel's suspension:
Jimmy Kimmel has mocked me so many times. The corporate media – they are dishonest. They are liars. I hate what Jimmy Kimmel said. I am thrilled that he was [suspended]. But let me tell you, if the government gets in the business of saying, 'We don't like what you, the media, have said, we're going to ban you from the airwaves'… that will end up bad for conservatives.
Like it or not, Cruz was right.
Both sides tend to get tunnel vision when they're in power, and ultimately, when the tables turn, policies and legislation that one side supported while in power don't look so good when the other side is in power.
Human nature? Dunno — but legislating like you're always going to be in power isn't always smart politics — again, in my view.
ALSO CHECK OUT: FCC Chairman Brendan Carr Speaks to Kimmel Cancellation and the Requirements of Holding an FCC License
Who They Really Are: Jim Clyburn Reveals When It's 'Okay' for Government to Suppress Free Speech
An Uphill Battle?
Getting the bill passed and signed into law by President Donald Trump may be an uphill battle. A comparable measure in 2023 — aimed at blocking federal officials from pressuring Big Tech to muzzle free speech — died in the Senate.
Cruz told The Journal he was even willing to appear on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" to discuss his proposal, while also making a point that he doesn't find Kimmel or other late-night hosts funny due to their frequent (read: constant) attacks against Trump.
Finally, what say you? Should it be easier for people to sue the government over censorship?
