To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes From Comey to Kimmel: Trump’s War on Free Speech
12 snips
May 5, 2026 
Greg Lukianoff, attorney, NYT bestselling author and CEO of FIRE, defends civil liberties and free speech law. He and Charlie map how power is being used to silence critics. They discuss the Comey indictment, FCC pressure on comedians like Jimmy Kimmel, strategic media lawsuits, campus illiberalism, jawboning of platforms, and the Supreme Court’s mixed role.
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FCC Repurposed As Political Lever
- The FCC, under Chairman Brendan Carr, is being repurposed to pressure broadcasters and chill speech despite its technical allocation mandate.
- Lukianoff highlights the immediate review of Disney's licenses after public calls to punish Jimmy Kimmel.
ABC Lawyers Warned Against Using The Word Rapist
- ABC's caution around language in a defamation dispute led to internal advice not to call someone a rapist, influencing their settlement posture.
- Lukianoff recounts being told ABC lawyers warned anchors to avoid that specific term.
SLAPP-Like Lawsuits Aim To Chill Not Convict
- Strategic lawsuits often aim not to win but to raise costs and chill future coverage.
- Lukianoff cites suits against The Atlantic and the Wall Street Journal as fishing expeditions meant to intimidate.
