FCC West Coast enforcement chief offered help to chair in targeting Disney over Jimmy Kimmel’s commentary, raising ethics concerns.
Los Angeles: A top official at the Federal Communications Commission in California privately offered to help FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s campaign against Walt Disney Co. and comedian Jimmy Kimmel last year.
According to emails obtained by reporters, Lark Hadley who leads FCC enforcement in the Western United States sent a message to Carr and another senior official. The subject line said it was a “personal note of support” regarding controversial comments made by Jimmy Kimmel about conservative figure Charlie Kirk.
On September 17 2023 Carr threatened Disney with possible regulatory action over Kimmel’s monologue. That same day major TV stations decided not to air Jimmy Kimmel Live and ABC temporarily stopped the show. Hadley who once worked as a broadcaster told Carr he had long been upset by what he saw as lack of accountability in media. He wrote to Carr that he was sick of it and told the chairman and his chief of staff “Please do not let up and let me know if I can help in any way.”
Federal ethics rules say government workers cannot take part in matters where their fairness might be questioned. It is unusual for an official to show support for what looks like a politically motivated pressure campaign targeting broadcasters they oversee. While most TV content complaints are handled at FCC headquarters Hadley’s office can take direct action against ABC-owned stations in its region including the station that makes Jimmy Kimmel Live. The show’s temporary removal became seen as a test of how Carr could use his agency’s powers against political critics who disagree with him.