Legally Creative, Democratically Dangerous: Trump's Plan to Twist the News

[dalton99a]

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/24/opinion/fcc-ftc-free-speech-trump.html

https://archive.ph/u62lE

Legally Creative, Democratically Dangerous: Trump’s Plan to Twist the News
Feb. 24, 2026
By The Editorial Board

The Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission were designed to be independent stewards of the public interest — guardians against monopolies, fraud and the misuse of public airwaves. Congress created the agencies in the first half of the 20th century, and they are led by commissioners serving fixed terms to insulate them from the political whims of the White House. ...

The latest evidence is a quiet but radical distortion of consumer protection law by the F.T.C. The agency recently sent a warning letter to Apple, alleging potential bias in how Apple News curates articles. The letter cited a study by Media Research Center, a conservative group, suggesting that Apple was treating conservative sources unfairly.

The situation is even more volatile at the F.C.C., which is supposed to ensure open, efficient communication but has abandoned the pretense of neutrality. Its chairman, Brendan Carr, recently told the Senate Commerce Committee that “formally speaking, the F.C.C. isn’t independent.” The agency has since removed the word “independent” from its mission page, signaling that it now views itself as an extension of presidential power.

The actions of the two agencies are a pincer movement. The F.T.C. is twisting consumer protection statutes to penalize speech it dislikes, while the F.C.C. is weaponizing the “public interest” standard to bully broadcasters into submission.

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(more details of this diabolical plan at link)

[ms liberty]

1. K&R