The Presidential election has already been crazy. It’s really getting heated now.
Because the Harris campaign has been found guilty of a huge election violation.
FCC Commissioner Critiques NBC’s Decision to Host Kamala Harris on Saturday Night Live
In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), strongly criticized NBC’s decision to feature Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday Night Live just days before Election Day. Carr expressed concern that this move, which did not provide equal airtime for former President Trump or other presidential candidates, undermines the FCC’s equal time rule.
“This has all the appearances of, at least some leadership at NBC, at SNL, making clear that they wanted to weigh in favor of one candidate before the election,” Carr stated. He emphasized the significance of the equal time rule, which has been in place since 1934 to ensure fairness in broadcasting. According to Carr, broadcasters operate under a special obligation to serve the public interest, as they hold licenses granted by the federal government.
Carr’s remarks followed Harris’s unexpected appearance on the show, which sparked accusations that NBC had violated the equal time provisions by featuring the Democratic candidate while excluding other contenders, including Trump, Jill Stein, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “NBC has structured this in a way that’s plainly designed to evade the FCC’s rules. We’re talking 50 hours before Election Day starts, without any notice to other candidates, as far as I can tell,” Carr added.
BREAKING: FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr warns the Kamala Harris SNL skit this close to the election, breaks FCC rules meant to prevent broadcasters from unfairly influencing voters:
"This skit clearly aims to dodge the FCC's Equal Time rule, which exists to prevent this very… pic.twitter.com/8IZ5nHuRcc
— TaraBull (@TaraBull808) November 3, 2024
He urged fellow FCC commissioners to take immediate action, stating, “I think every member of the FCC needs to speak up immediately, given how close we are to an election and make clear that we will follow through, enforce our laws.” Carr pointed out that the penalties for such violations could include severe measures like license revocations, emphasizing the importance of holding broadcasters accountable.
Harris’s appearance on SNL featured her in a humorous exchange with former cast member Maya Rudolph, who portrayed a fictional version of Harris. The skit included jabs at both Trump and President Biden, showcasing the lighthearted nature of the show while simultaneously raising questions about the appropriateness of hosting a political figure so close to an election.
During the sketch, Rudolph, in character as Harris, expressed the desire to speak to someone with similar experiences: “I wish I could talk to someone who’s been in my shoes. You know, a Black, South Asian woman running for president. Preferably from the Bay Area.” The scene concluded with a playful exchange that reflected the show’s comedic style, but Carr’s focus remained on the implications of such appearances in relation to the FCC’s regulations.
🚨BREAKING: NBC forced to allow Trump to air a free 90 second advertisement during Sunday Night Football and NASCAR per FCC regulations in order to provide equal time to Kamala Harris’ SNL appearance.
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) November 4, 2024
The controversy extended beyond Harris to include Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, who also appeared in a segment on the same episode. Carr highlighted that Kaine’s appearance likely violated the equal time rule, given his candidacy for re-election against Republican challenger Hung Cao.
NBC’s Lorne Michaels had previously stated that it was unlikely for either Trump or Harris to appear on SNL due to the equal time provision laws. “You can’t bring the actual people who are running on because of election laws and the equal time provisions,” Michaels remarked last month, underscoring the complexities involved in featuring political candidates on a comedy show.
Carr reiterated the need for the FCC to respond decisively, saying, “This is exactly why Lorne Michaels just weeks ago went public and said they would not be doing any candidate appearances… Something changed at the last minute.” He called for a unified response from the FCC, asserting that without such action, the existing rules would become meaningless.
The discussion surrounding the equal time rule and media responsibility continues to gain traction, with Carr advocating for thorough investigation and accountability to ensure fairness in political broadcasting.
Kamala Harris has clearly been playing catch-up in terms of media appearances in this Presidential election cycle. Donald Trump has been relentless in keeping on the pressure by being willing to give an interview to just about anyone with an audience who will tune in.
Donald Trump made history when he appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast, with the podcast episode on YouTube reaching 44 million views at the time of writing. That’s YouTube alone, too. Then Trump’s running mate went on Joe Rogan’s show as well and brought in an impressive 13 million views on YouTube (at the time of writing).
JD Vance and Joe Rogan talk Trump's Butler assassination attempt:
ROGAN: "There was a lot of weird stuff to it. Where he lived was professionally scrubbed. There was no silver ware. There was nothing. No DNA. No hard drives. No nothing."
VANCE: “It is shocking that he's alive… pic.twitter.com/jUiiMZK5aX
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) October 31, 2024
Kamala Harris, in response, has been trying to secure some big media spots before Americans go vote on Tuesday. That’s likely why she and her team sought out the friendly SNL team to give it to her. She knows she is behind the eight ball.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
