Crockett hits back, says CBS and Colbert are full of it: ‘They just didn’t want to air it’

Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas is taking aim at late-night talk show host Stephen Colbert for pulling an interview with her opponent.

Colbert lashed out at President Donald Trump after CBS pulled an interview with James Talarico, another Democratic candidate running for Senate against Crockett, citing new FCC guidelines. While Colbert pointed the finger at the government, Crockett was quick to push back on the narrative, insisting that the federal government had nothing to do with the decision to pull Talarico’s interview.

‘This was because of a fear that the FCC may say something to them.’

“We did receive information suggesting that the federal government did not shut down the segment, number one,” Crockett said.

“That is my understanding that the federal government did not shut this down, and we will do an official statement once we get another official statement that we anticipate is going to be coming from Paramount,” Crockett added. “So we will read what they say, and then we’ll go from there.”

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Photo by Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images

Crockett’s assessment was counter to CBS’ official statement, which claimed that Colbert’s show was “provided legal guidance” by the FCC.

“The show was provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal-time rule for two other candidates, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and presented options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled,” the statement read. “THE LATE SHOW decided to present the interview through its YouTube channel with on-air promotion on the broadcast rather than potentially providing the equal-time options.”

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr reiterated these guidelines in late January, reminding networks of their “obligation” to provide candidates equal airtime.

“For years, legacy TV networks assumed that their late night & daytime talk shows qualify as ‘bona fide news’ programs — even when motivated by purely partisan political purposes,” Carr said in a post on X. “Today, the FCC reminded them of their obligation to provide all candidates with equal opportunities.”

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Bob Daemmrich/The Texas Tribune/Bloomberg via Getty Images

As CBS’ statement said, Colbert opted to post the interview on social media rather than broadcasting it live on the program in order to work around the FCC’s new guidance requiring shows to provide competing candidates equal time on air. Although Crockett has been on Colbert’s show multiple times, she noted that she “did not get a request” to appear on his show.

“It is our understanding that Colbert, either Mr. Colbert or CBS, decided that they just didn’t want to air it,” Crockett said of the Talarico interview. “And this was because of a fear that the FCC may say something to them and that there may have been advice to just have me on and then they could clear the issue.”

“It was my understanding that someone somewhere decided we just don’t want to do that and instead, we’re going to just do it this way.”

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