Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D) has introduced the “Free Speech Act of 2025,” which aims at blocking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from being used as a political weapon by any presidential administration.
The legislation comes after the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel, who shared controversial comments regarding Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer as well as calling President Donald Trump’s (R) supporters “Maga gang.”
Kimmel double down his comments by suggesting that “many in MAGA-land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk,” which led to Nexstar, the station group that airs “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, to pull the show from approximately two dozen markets.
The bill, which is officially titled the Freedom from Regulatory Enforcement and Evaluation of Speech Policies to Ensure Editorial Choice Hold Act of 2025, seeks to bar the FCC from conditioning merger approvals, licenses, or acquisitions on whether a company’s speech aligns with the president’s political views. The bill would also prohibit the FCC from issuing rules that compel or suppress political viewpoints across media companies, broadcasters, telecommunications firms, or internet providers.
In a statement, Rep. Crockett criticized the Republican Party, expressing that they have “demonstrated that free speech clearly isn’t free for everyone.”
“The Free Speech Act of 2025 will prevent the FCC from using its power to unlawfully censure voices or force media companies to align with a political agenda,” she added. “That kind of overreach is a direct step toward authoritarianism.”
The Trump administration has ramped up its rhetoric against its critics.
Attorney General Pam Bondi (R) raised alarms this month after she suggested that the administration would be prosecuting individuals who directed “hate speech” at others. During a podcast appearance, she said the administration would “absolutely target you, go after you, if you are targeting anyone with hate speech.”
She later clarified that her “intention was to speak about threats of violence that individuals incite against others,” noting that the administration would not be prosecuting “hate speech.”
