“And it might feel good right now to threaten Jimmy Kimmel, but when it is used to silence every conservative in America, we will regret it.”

“We’re reinvigorating the FCC’s enforcement of the public interest,” Brendan Carr said on CNBC, “and I think that’s a good thing.”

Columbia's Alex Abdo said Brendan Carr of the FCC is close to “the definition of unconstitutional coercion" while Chuck Schumer called his rhetoric "despicable."

But it is unclear to what extent media companies might push back - at the potential expense of their bottom line.

Carr is a longtime FCC commissioner named as chairman by President Trump in November. Since, he has launched investigations of ABC, CBS and NBC News.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas sharply criticized Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr over his comments related to Jimmy Kimmel.

“That’s right outta ‘Goodfellas,’ that’s right out of a mafioso going into a bar saying, ‘Nice bar you have here, it’d be a shame if something happened to it.’”

The Republican senator warned that retaliating against media outlets over coverage that conservatives view as negative would set a “dangerous” precedent.

The Texas senator affected a mobster accent to criticise how ABC was pressed to take action on the late-night host.

Texas senator says Brendan Carr’s threats to revoke licenses amid Jimmy Kimmel suspension ‘right out of Goodfellas’

The US senator has labelled Carr’s comments ‘dangerous as hell’ and something ‘right out of Goodfellas’.

Cruz, who has appeared on Kimmel's show in the past for friendly interviews and segments, called Carr's actions 'dangerous' as hell' and 'right out of Goodfellas.'

Texas senator warns FCC intervention sets a dangerous precedent for free speech

“And it might feel good right now to threaten Jimmy Kimmel, but when it is used to silence every conservative in America, we will regret it.”

FCC chairman Brendan Carr has been a free speech proponent. Just look at his social media posts. But he has a problem with Jimmy Kimmel.

"And I'll fight any attempt by the government to get involved with speech, I will fight."

Experts say FCC may have overstepped in calling for action over Jimmy Kimmel’s comments about Charlie Kirk murder.

Ted Cruz compares FCC chair’s Disney threats to mafia tactics, sparking bipartisan concerns over free speech violations.

Regulator Brendan Carr said he wasn't making threats when he told TV networks they had the choice to deal with Kimmel the "easy way or the hard way."