WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr faced Senate questioning Wednesday for the first time since he pressured broadcasters to take ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel off the air, a stance that drew bipartisan criticism and raised concerns about government interference in the media.

Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr on Thursday defended his claim that the FCC is not an independent agency, asserting that Congress never gave FCC commissioners protection from being removed by the president at will.

The Federal Communications Commission chairman faced questioning over the agency’s role in pressuring media companies and its independence from the president.

Brendan Carr appear before the Senate Commerce committee on Wednesday to discuss his push for broadcasters to take ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel off the air.

For the most part, it was Democrats who hammered Carr on his Kimmel comments, but Cruz reiterated his critique at the start of the hearing. He also, however, accused his Democratic colleagues of hypocrisy over their silence over alleged jawboning during the Biden administration. Cruz called on his Democratic peers to join him in passing reforms.

Chair Brendan Carr suggested on Wednesday that the agency is not independent from President Trump’s administration after being pressed by senators on

Texas, grilled Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr on Wednesday over his push for broadcasters to take ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel off the air.

Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) called for the FCC chairman's resignation, saying he had turned the agency “into the 'Federal Censorship Commission.'”

Senator Amy Klobuchar grilled FCC Chairman Brendan Carr during a Senate hearing over allegations that he pressured broadcasters critical of President Trump. The exchange comes after late-night host Jimmy Kimmel faced backlash for comments following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.