Deadline: Politicians Call For ABC To "Stand Up For Itself" & "Sue The FCC"

Minutes before ABC revealed it was bringing back Jimmy Kimmel Live!, politicians took their turn Monday to speak out about ABC‘s decision to yank the late night show from the air by staging a press conference across from the show’s home on Hollywood Boulevard.

As passerbys held signs for the myriad cameras that shared Bob Iger’s email address and Mickey Mouse’s rear end, U.S. Representative Laura Friedman was joined by several congressmen and women to “stand up for the U.S. Constitution.”

Congressman Ted Lieu also urged ABC to protect itself by suing the FCC.

“Stand up for the First Amendment, an amendment that generations of Americans gave blood, sweat and tears for,” said Lieu. “If you do that, we will be with you. We will continue to be truly empowered … invoke the First Amendment, reinstate Jimmy Kimmel Live, sue the FCC, and you will win.”

Within a half hour of the press conference ending, ABC revealed that Kimmel is coming back to the airwaves.

“Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country,” according to a statement from Disney. “It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive. We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday.”

Seemingly unaware of the ongoing discussions between ABC and Kimmel, Friedman kicked off the sun-drenched press conference that at one point was interrupted by a lone man on a loudspeaker who insisted Kimmel was yanked because of low ratings. Security quickly pushed him away but he briefly made it difficult to hear the lineup of politicians and union members that included WGA Director Ellen Stutzman.

“To be clear, this press conference is not about celebrities,” said Friedman. “It’s not about television or comedy. It’s not about Hollywood. It’s about the U.S. Constitution and the rights that we all care about. Our First Amendment, our right to free speech is under attack, so let us call this what it is. It is an attempt at blatant government censorship.”

Congresswoman Judy Chu, who co-chairs the Congressional Creative Rights Caucus, reminded everyone that Trump said more than two months ago that Kimmel’s show should be canceled.

“This was not about comments that a comedian made about Charlie Kirk,” she said. “This is about a president using the power of the Federal Government to silence his critics that he’s been open about for months. Now he’s saying the FCC should go further and cancel the broadcasting licenses of networks that criticize him. Are we going to be falling for that? Are we going to be silenced? This is the framework of authoritarians, and every single one of us has a responsibility to stand up for our constitutional rights that are under attack.”

Congressman Brad Sherman vowed to watch who’s advertising during the 11:30 p.m. hour and boycott those who have bought time unless Kimmel is reinstated.

Pressure on ABC has grown since the decision was made last Wednesday to suspend Kimmel’s show after FCC chairman Brendan Carr called the comedian’s comments about Charlie Kirk’s killer “some of the sickest conduct possible.” During his monologue last Monday about Kirk, Kimmel said, “we had some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and with everything they can to score political points from it.”