FCC's Gomez condemns interview censorship

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez criticized political pressure on broadcasters after CBS declined to air a scheduled interview with a Democratic candidate on "The Late Show." The decision came amid reported pressure from within the FCC, raising concerns that regulators were leaning on a network over political content.

Gomez said the agency has no legal authority to push broadcasters for political reasons or to create a climate that discourages free expression. Her statement distances the commission from attempts to influence programming decisions and underscores that federal regulators are not supposed to steer or suppress political speech on the air.