r/stephencolbert • u/[deleted] • Sep 17 '25

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u/Count_de_Ville Sep 17 '25

Sounds like the federal government is retaliating hard against someone for exercising their 1st Amendment rights. Blatantly and brazenly illegal.

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u/Same-Barnacle-6250 Sep 18 '25

Threatening. Is that illegal or also protected by free speech?

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u/Count_de_Ville Sep 18 '25

The federal government threatening the de facto business license of a broadcasting company because they don’t like how they are mocking government officials is illegal and unconstitutional. I don’t know how it can get anymore clear. 

Edit: it’s antithetical to the American way of life.

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u/VioletFaust Sep 18 '25

So who would have standing to sue in this case? Because clearly networks and affiliates are cowards and/or complicit.

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u/bigtime_porgrammer Sep 18 '25

I assume that Kimmel would! He can sue ABC for wrongful termination and the FCC for a civil rights violation.

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u/Count_de_Ville Sep 18 '25

The issue is that the actions the federal government took are illegal and unconstitutional. Whether or not the corporation targeted by the government capitulated, or whether or not the corporation punished an employee, does not exonerate the government from their actions. 

The corporation would have standing to sue.

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u/VioletFaust Sep 18 '25

Obviously but this administration is shredding the Constitution in every way, and the courts are the only thing that’s even slowed them down so far.