Sanders Statement on Fighting Trump’s Authoritarianism & Stifling of Independent Media

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today released the following statement regarding President Trump’s drift toward authoritarianism and suppression of independent media: 

Under Trump we are not only fighting oligarchy. We are fighting a strong drift toward authoritarianism and the stifling of media dissent.  

Since his election Trump has forced ABC and Meta to “settle” lawsuits with him for millions of dollars over comments and actions that offended him. He is suing CBS for $10 billion over the editing of a Kamala Harris interview on 60 minutes that he didn’t like. His FCC is now “investigating” PBS and NPR, long known for their independent journalism, and is threatening to withhold federal funding from these two important media outlets. Add it all together, and there is only one conclusion. Trump, in his drive toward authoritarianism and one-man rule, is intimidating media that might be critical of him.  How many radio, TV, on-line or print media will do hard-hitting investigative journalism if they are worried about a massive lawsuit from the President of the United States?

Honest conservatives, and there still are some, tell us they believe in “limited government” and the free flow of ideas. If they are sincere in those beliefs they must now stand with the American people and fight to protect freedom of speech, the First Amendment and the U.S. Constitution. Together, we must oppose authoritarianism.