Biden Condemns Schedule F and Trump Attacks on Comcast in McCain Speech
President Joe Biden on Thursday denounced Republican plans to eliminate protections for civil servants and limit the power of independent agencies like the FCC, as well as Donald Trump's threat that Comcast's "Treason" will be "thoroughly scrutinized" if he's re-elected…
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president. “What do they intend to do once they erode the constitutional order of checks and balances and separation of powers? Limit the independence of federal agencies and put them under the thumb of a president?” Biden said in Tempe, Arizona, at the dedication ceremony of a library named in memory of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. Biden condemned former President Donald Trump’s Schedule F order, which would have made it easier to fire staffers while increasing the number of political appointees in civil service jobs. “These civil servants had to pledge loyalty to the President, not the Constitution. [Trump's order] did not require that they had any protections, and the President would be able to wholesale fire them if he wanted,” Biden said. Biden rescinded Schedule F before it took effect, and the Office of Personnel Management is considering a draft rule that would protect federal worker due process rights against future versions of Schedule F. Trump has pledged to bring independent agencies such as the FCC under direct presidential authority if reelected (see 2304280002). Biden also highlighted a recent social media post by Trump saying Comcast should be investigated for “Country Threatening Treason.” “When I WIN the Presidency of the United States, they and others of the LameStream Media will be thoroughly scrutinized for their knowingly dishonest and corrupt coverage,” Trump posted Sept. 24. “Why should NBC, or any other of the corrupt & dishonest media companies, be entitled to use the very valuable Airwaves of the USA, FREE?” Accusing a major news network of treason because of unfavorable coverage shows that “the MAGA movement,” which Biden called “the controlling element of the House Republican Party,” hasn’t given up, Biden said. “I don’t know what the hell I’d say about Fox if that becomes the rule,” Biden said. “I’m joking, but think about it.” As president, Trump repeatedly invoked the FCC and tagged then-Chairman Ajit Pai in tweets against media companies, and several times said NBC should lose its “license” (see 1809040051). Pai said then the FCC doesn’t have authority to revoke the license of a broadcast station over its content. The Media and Democracy Project’s petition asking the FCC to revoke the license of WTXF-TV Philadelphia (see 2307060065) shouldn’t be compared to Trump’s posts, said MAP supporter Preston Padden. “Trump’s partisan rant against MSNBC easily is distinguishable from the bi-partisan factual case against Fox’s knowing/repeated presentation of false news,” Padden emailed.