FCC: Sanction Andrea Tantaros for inciting violence against others.

The Issue

Andrea Tantaros crossed a legal line recently on her radio showIn a discussion about the ongoing investigation of another Fox News personality - James Rosen - Tantaros became so angry that she urged her audience to seek out and find anyone who voted for President Barack Obama and "punch them in the face." As she lamented about the investigation, Tantaros said: "Fox said, we’re targets, clearly Media Matters and others have put us on a target list. And they said, ‘Oh, Fox is just crazy! They’re just paranoid!’ Really? Are we? This is what is happening to our press! This is Obama’s America! It’s like the Soviet Union. He said he would change the country. He said it. And a lot of people voted for him. And if you see any of those people today, do me a favor, punch them in the face." A caller later questioned her (and rightly so) saying that her incitement to violence (against Obama) might send the wrong message. She replied: "To be clear, I didn't say punch Obama in the face. You’re going to get me arrested with this type of government. If someone voted for him! If anyone that you know who voted for President Obama, smack ‘em down." Speech that incites imminent violence or law-breaking is strictly prohibited by law, and Andrea Tantaros' call to assault those who voted for President Obama seems to fall squarely in that category. In the 1969 BRANDENBURG v. OHIO decision, the Court found that "Freedoms of speech and press do not permit a State to forbid advocacy of the use of force or of law violation except where such advocacy is directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action and is likely to incite or produce such action."  A cursory listen to the audio of the show would seem to indict Tantaros based on that incitement to commit illegal acts against others. The question now is - what happens when one of her listeners actually does assault someone? Will she be held accountable? Sanctions need to be placed against Tantaros for this sort of criminally negligent behavior.
avatar of the starter
Tim PeacockPetition StarterWriter; political activist
This petition had 54 supporters

The Issue

Andrea Tantaros crossed a legal line recently on her radio showIn a discussion about the ongoing investigation of another Fox News personality - James Rosen - Tantaros became so angry that she urged her audience to seek out and find anyone who voted for President Barack Obama and "punch them in the face." As she lamented about the investigation, Tantaros said: "Fox said, we’re targets, clearly Media Matters and others have put us on a target list. And they said, ‘Oh, Fox is just crazy! They’re just paranoid!’ Really? Are we? This is what is happening to our press! This is Obama’s America! It’s like the Soviet Union. He said he would change the country. He said it. And a lot of people voted for him. And if you see any of those people today, do me a favor, punch them in the face." A caller later questioned her (and rightly so) saying that her incitement to violence (against Obama) might send the wrong message. She replied: "To be clear, I didn't say punch Obama in the face. You’re going to get me arrested with this type of government. If someone voted for him! If anyone that you know who voted for President Obama, smack ‘em down." Speech that incites imminent violence or law-breaking is strictly prohibited by law, and Andrea Tantaros' call to assault those who voted for President Obama seems to fall squarely in that category. In the 1969 BRANDENBURG v. OHIO decision, the Court found that "Freedoms of speech and press do not permit a State to forbid advocacy of the use of force or of law violation except where such advocacy is directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action and is likely to incite or produce such action."  A cursory listen to the audio of the show would seem to indict Tantaros based on that incitement to commit illegal acts against others. The question now is - what happens when one of her listeners actually does assault someone? Will she be held accountable? Sanctions need to be placed against Tantaros for this sort of criminally negligent behavior.
avatar of the starter
Tim PeacockPetition StarterWriter; political activist

The Decision Makers

Acting Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn
Acting Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn
FCC
Jessica Rosenworcel
Jessica Rosenworcel
FCC Commissioner
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