Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr will testify before the Senate Commerce Committee in the wake of Disney’s (NYSE:DIS) decision to suspend and then reinstate Jimmy Kimmel’s show over the comedian’s comments on slain right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, Reuters reported late on Wednesday, citing a source.
The report said Carr agreed to testify after speaking to Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz this week. The committee has jurisdiction over the FCC, and Democrats have pressed Cruz to call Carr to testify.
The source told Reuters that the date of the hearing has not been set but was expected after November.
Cruz had condemned Carr for threatening to go after the licenses of Disney and local broadcasters who aired Kimmel’s show.
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to take action on Kimmel, or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead,” Carr told media companies after Kimmel’s comments.
Cruz said on a public podcast that Carr’s comments were “dangerous as hell.”
Kimmel’s suspension lasted only for six days after advocates from both sides of the political aisle disagreed with the move. Disney also witnessed a wave of subscription cancellations by users who viewed the action against the comedian to be harsh and as an attack on free speech.