Brendan Carr accuses James Talarico of running a hoax

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has accused Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico of orchestrating a “hoax” to increase clicks and donations. The accusation follows a YouTube interview between Talarico and Jimmy Kimmel that has garnered nearly 7 million views.

Kimmel informed viewers that the interview would be released on YouTube rather than broadcast on television due to the FCC’s enforcement of the Equal Time rule. Talarico has characterized the situation as government censorship and “cancel culture,” describing the footage as “the interview Trump’s FCC doesn’t want you to see.”

Carr countered on social media, alleging that Talarico is repeating a tactic used during a previous interview with Stephen Colbert. Carr argued that the candidate is banking on the public’s lack of understanding regarding federal statutes. The Equal Time rule requires broadcasters to provide comparable airtime to opposing candidates, though it traditionally excludes news coverage and does not apply to cable or streaming services.