I want to welcome back to the show, Professor Maryanne Franks, professor of technology and civil rights law at the George Washington University Law School and author of Fearless Speech, Breaking Free from the First Amendment. Also with us is a great friend of our show, Dalia Lithwick, MSNBC MSNBC contributor and senior editor at Slate and host of the Amicus uh podcast. Welcome to both of you.Thank you for being with us. You both had a great uh conversation on the podcast the other day, which caused me to wa ...

The very first amendment to the US Constitution right here was ratified on December 17th, 1791. It's been around for a while and subject to evolving interpretations. But there is once again today and particularly in the last in the last few weeks and misconception about this most fundamental right that Americans hold, free speech.You know, it's important because it's among the first amendments. It's the called the first one, but it was ratified with a number of other amendments. And we need to start by ridd ...

incredible week we've lived through with the return of Jimmy Kimmel after a sustained federal government effort to not only kick him off the air but really cancel his whole show has been extraordinary. Uh we've been tracking late night even more than usual. Kimmel on his second night since the return responded to President Trump who rather than deescalate is vowing to continue the censorship agenda, threatening to shake down Disney, threatening to sue them over their editorial decisions, which would be a ve ...

Free Speech & Censorship - The report highlights a free speech win against powerful forces, focusing on the censorship plot against Kimmel and the pressure on his team [3][4] - It emphasizes that the ability to speak freely matters across history, whether through comedy, politics, or art, until the government intervenes [11] - The report notes that government threats to silence comedians are anti-American and unconstitutional, referencing historical figures like Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, and Howard Stern [20] - It points out that Trump's White House initially pursued censorship goals but later backtracked, attempting to mislead by claiming the issue was about ratings, not free speech [21][22] Disney & ABC's Response - Disney initially folded to government pressure to oust Kimmel but reversed course due to public outcry [9] - The report suggests that Disney's surrender and attempts to appease Trump only invite more attacks [26] - ABC and Disney executives are reportedly scrambling to get Kimmel back on the air after their initial decision to give in to government pressure [35] - The report criticizes Disney chief Bob Iger for co-signing an effort to allow the government to silence critics, contrasting it with the New York Times' stance [35] Public & Political Reaction - Kimmel's return after the censorship sparked a massive revolt, leading to Disney's reversal [2] - Millions of people weighed in on the effort to silence Kimmel, demonstrating public concern [3] - The report acknowledges individuals like Ben Shapiro, Clay Travis, Candace Owens, Mitch McConnell, and Ted Cruz for supporting Kimmel's right to share his beliefs [28] - Ted Cruz rebuked Trump's efforts to control free speech, warning against government deciding what speech it likes and dislikes [33] Ratings & The Streisand Effect - Kimmel's show experienced a ratings bonanza after the controversy, with 6 million live TV viewers and over 15 million views on YouTube in under a day [12] - The report mentions the Streisand effect, where attempts to suppress something draw more attention to it [13][14] - Despite the online interest, many local affiliates are still stopping Kimmel's show from being shown, impacting up to a third of ABC affiliates [15] Legal & Constitutional Aspects - The report emphasizes that pressuring private companies to silence views is a likely violation of the First Amendment [34] - All nine Supreme Court justices agree that the government cannot coerce businesses or media outlets to suppress or change views [34] - The First Amendment prohibits the government from relying on the threat of legal sanctions to suppress disfavored speech [34]

US Politics & Free Speech - The discussion highlights the importance of free speech in American society, noting that figures like Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, and Todd Young, despite their differences, uphold the First Amendment and the American spirit of freedom [2] - Concerns are raised about the erosion of the traditional separation between the West Wing and the Department of Justice, with accusations that the president is weaponizing democratic institutions to target political enemies, signaling authoritarianism [4] - The potential impact of the president's actions on international relations is discussed, with concerns that his speeches and behavior are alienating allies and impacting the perception of the United States abroad [4][5] Trump & International Relations - The report suggests a possible shift in President Trump's stance on the Ukraine-Russia conflict, with a more encouraging tone towards Ukraine and a stronger stance against Putin, though skepticism remains about the consistency and reliability of this shift [6] - European leaders may be starting to understand that some of President Trump's actions and rhetoric are primarily for domestic consumption, although concerns persist about his erratic behavior and deal-making approach on the world stage [6] - There is discussion about the disconnect between President Trump's public statements at the UN and his private interactions with world leaders, with some suggesting that his UN speeches are primarily aimed at his MAGA base [6] Analysis of Trump's Behavior - Chris Matthews suggests that Trump "smells weakness" and that his behavior may be influenced by intelligence suggesting Russia's economy is collapsing, potentially leading to a change in his approach to Ukraine [7] - The discussion touches on Trump's tendency to personalize issues and his potential for erratic behavior, with examples such as his treatment of Zilinsky and his evolving attitude towards Putin [6] - The report mentions Trump's history of attacking perceived enemies and the possibility that figures like Ted Cruz, who have criticized him, may become targets of his ire [7][8][9]

Political Violence & Rhetoric - The report highlights the condemnation of political violence and the call for unity, regardless of the source [3][5] - Accusations are made against the Vice President and President for allegedly exploiting tragedies for political gain and suppressing dissent, potentially violating the First Amendment [3][6] - The discussion includes the controversy surrounding the refusal to air Jimmy Kimmel, raising concerns about companies caving to pressure and the FCC potentially abusing its power to punish speech [7][9] Legislation & Government Funding - The "No Political Enemies Act" aims to deter government officials from abusing their power to silence dissent and provide legal resources for those targeted by political prosecutions [10][11][12][13] - Concerns are raised about a potential government shutdown due to disagreements over government funding and the President's stance on negotiations [14][15][17][18] - The debate includes the issue of healthcare, with concerns about millions potentially losing access and rising premiums [16]

Joining us now, FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez. Thanks for joining us today. Thank you for having me.Let's talk about Donald Trump uh and his reaction to Jimmy Kimmel being back on the air. He posted a lengthy message on his social media. I'll put it up on the screen.Um but I'm going to focus on just one part of it. He says he is yet another arm of the DNC. He's talking about Jimmy Kimmel.And to the best of my knowledge, Trump says that would be a major illegal campaign contribution. I think we're going to tes ...

It was an honor to film this documentary on the Censorship Industrial Complex with the fantastic team at @bigpictureusa. You can watch it for free debuting October 16 👇👇bigpictureoriginals (@bigpictureusa):For generations, Americans believed the First Amendment was untouchable — the cornerstone of our Republic.But today, freedom is under attack. Behind closed doors, government agencies, Big Tech, universities, and NGOs built a powerful system to control what citizens can say, https://t.co/AUnJazPmMP ...

Documentary Overview - Big Picture Originals' documentary "God Complex: The Rise of America's Censorship Machine" reveals a system controlling speech [2] - The documentary premieres on October 16 [2] Societal Concerns - The documentary suggests that the First Amendment is under attack [1] - Government agencies, Big Tech, universities, and NGOs are allegedly involved in controlling information [1] - Silencing speech leads to the disappearance of truth and other rights [2]

YouTube uh announced yesterday it would open the door for channels that were banned uh to be reinstated. Some of the bans were for posting about CO 19 or the 2020 election. This comes after Representative Jim Jordan subpoenaed Alphabet's CEO alleging that YouTube was a direct participant in the federal government's censorship regime.Joining us now, Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio. uh he's the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and I'm glad to to have you on uh even though it's a phone. I know you'r ...