FCC Asks Court to Throw Out ABC’s Lawsuit Alleging TV License Renewals Violate First Amendment, as Agency Repeats Claim the Action Is Unrelated to Jimmy Kimmel or ‘The View’

Sep 4, 2026 12:49am PT FCC Asks Court to Throw Out ABC’s Lawsuit Alleging TV License Renewals Violate First Amendment, as Agency Repeats Claim the Action Is Unrelated to Jimmy Kimmel or ‘The View’

By Todd Spangler

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Todd Spangler

NY Digital Editor

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Getty Images (Carr); ABC

The FCC asked a federal court Thursday to dismiss the First Amendment lawsuit ABC filed against the agency, arguing that the Disney-owned broadcaster failed to establish that the FCC’s early license renewal review for ABC‘s TV stations represents “retaliation” for disfavored speech.

ABC sued the FCC last month, alleging the commission was waging an “extraordinary assault” on its free-speech rights by threatening to pull licenses for its eight owned-and-operated local TV stations. The FCC continues to insist the ABC early license renewal was initiated out of the agency’s investigation into “allegations of unlawful discrimination” in employment practices at Disney and ABC — and is unrelated to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr‘s comments about Jimmy Kimmel, “The View” or any other programming.

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