[SolidSupplySide]

The Dem Senators had a temper tantrum, but they didn't do anything illegal. The Dem Senators were engaging in free speech, a First Amendment right they have. They exercised it irresponsibly, but they didn't use the power of their office in any manner to punish ABC.

You are tilting at windmills.

[wideawake]

They implied that they would use their power as members of Congress to punish ABC.

That would be an historic violation of the First Amendment.

[DocFarmer]

Respectfully, I disagree. They attempted to use their position in the government to block the free speech rights of ABC/Disney. To me, that is a direct violation of the First Amendment.

As to tilting at windmills, you say that as if it were a bad thing... :D

Seriously, SOMEbody has to take these scumbags to task for their actions...

[technomage]

The Dem Senators had a temper tantrum, but they didn't do anything illegal.

You may not be correct.

Yes, they have every right to free speech. However, as the lawmakers of the land, they cannot threaten ABC with revocation of their broadcast license (which they did) just because they do not like what is being aired. At the least, this would be a seem to be serious abuse of power.

[I still care]

Actually, he probably is (tilting at windmills) but in an era where not being allowed to produce simulated kid porn can be adjudged as against the first amendment, I would say that a bunch of Senators using official stationery to infer ABC's right to broadcast would be taken away might be illegal.

I mean, if Bush sent a letter to CBS inferring the same for their biased broadcasting, you know the ACLU would be all over it. Maybe that's the direction to go.

Have them spend all their ill gotten gains on something useful for once.

PS. I never send letters to the government, unless they write me first. I'd rather pretend I'm not here.

[Wuli]

Using an official public government office and the power of that office to threaten to take action against those who make political statements in dissent to your political sentiments, simply because you do not want their political statements aired does constitute the use of an official position to attempt to extort the said action demanded in the threat. It is illegal; whether or not the threat was answered by meeting its demands.

Whether or not GWB wants to engage his political position in acknowledging that clear power-abusing threat and its illegality is another matter.