After a commissioner for the Federal Communications Commission accused Saturday Night Live of violating federal rules following a surprise appearance from Vice President Kamala Harris, NBC is offering former President Donald Trump‘s campaign free commercial time on the network.
Since Harris appeared on SNL for 90 seconds, NBC must offer an equal amount of time to Trump’s campaign to be in accordance with the FCC’s Equal Time rule. That rule also includes a statute that allows the FCC to revoke a broadcaster’s license “for willful or repeated failure” to offer the same amount of airtime to candidates campaigning for the same office.
According to a report, some of that time was used by the campaign on Sunday during a NASCAR race. In the ad that aired, Trump, donning a MAGA hat, spoke directly to the camera and said electing Harris would cause a “depression” and urged people to vote. It is not clear when the Trump campaign will use the remaining free airtime on the network.
Earlier on Sunday, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr blasted Harris’s SNL appearance, saying, “This is a clear and blatant effort to evade the FCC’s Equal Time rule. The purpose of the rule is to avoid exactly this type of biased and partisan conduct — a licensed broadcaster using the public airwaves to exert its influence for one candidate on the eve of an election.”
“Unless the broadcaster offered Equal Time to other qualifying campaigns,” he added.
An official in the Trump campaign confirmed to the Washington Examiner that SNL never extended an invite for Trump to appear this weekend.
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Harris appeared during SNL’s cold open last night in what was a surprise to many as she was initially scheduled to be traveling to Michigan after a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her plane, on taking off from Charlotte, was diverted to New York City, where she stayed for about five hours before heading to Detroit.
During the skit, Harris appeared as a mirrored version of actress and comedian Maya Rudolph. She jabbed at Trump appearing to struggle to open the door of a garbage truck, mocked her own laugh, and underscored the importance of winning the state of Pennsylvania.
