‘The View’ turned down Mamdani request to bring on Israel-hating candidates over fear of FCC: report
ABC’s “The View” declined a request from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to bring two democratic socialist congressional candidates onto the daytime talk show as the Disney-owned network grows increasingly wary of a high-stakes FCC investigation into its political guest bookings, according to a report.
Representatives for Mamdani pitched “The View” on hosting the mayoral nominee alongside Democratic congressional candidates Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez, but the show indicated it couldn’t accommodate the two House hopefuls while proceeding cautiously amid the FCC’s ongoing equal-time inquiry, according to Semafor.
The reported booking dispute comes as relations between “The View” and Mamdani’s political orbit have grown increasingly strained.
According to Semafor, some of the mayor’s allies were angered by the show’s recent political coverage, particularly comments by co-host Sara Haines about Avila Chevalier.
During a recent broadcast, Haines said of Avila Chevalier: “I’m gonna full-blown call her an antisemite. She would proudly call herself that, trust me.”
According to Semafor, one of Mamdani’s aides later expressed frustration to ABC executives, warning that Haines’ remarks could affect whether the mayor and other democratic socialist candidates agree to appear on the program in the future.
Avila Chevalier, the virulently anti-Israel candidate who has expressed support for abolishing prisons, unseated five-term Rep. Adriano Espaillat in Manhattan’s 13th Congressional District, while Queens Assemblywoman Claire Valdez captured the Democratic nomination in the open 7th District.
The reported decision indicates that the probe launched by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr is already influencing programming at one of television’s most prominent political venues — even though the agency has yet to take formal enforcement action against ABC over “The View.”
Last week, The Post reported that a conservative media watchdog was pressuring the FCC not to renew ABC’s licenses due to what it considered partisan bias.
Once a must-stop campaign venue for politicians ranging from President Trump to Hillary Clinton and former Vice President Kamala Harris, “The View” has not hosted a candidate running in a competitive midterm race since Carr announced the FCC inquiry in February, according to Semafor.
The show continues to book politicians who are not facing contested races, including Vice President JD Vance and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).
Murphy appeared on the May 26 program to plug his new book while Vance was a guest on the June 16 episode.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), who is up for reelection this year but did not face a primary challenger, also appeared on the program in March.
The FCC inquiry stems from “The View’s” Feb. 2 interview with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico.
Carr has argued the appearance may have triggered the federal equal-time rule, which generally requires broadcast stations to provide comparable opportunities to rival candidates for the same office.
ABC has pushed back forcefully, arguing that “The View” has been recognized by the FCC for more than two decades as a bona fide news interview program that is exempt from the equal-time requirement. In a petition filed with the agency, the network said the inquiry “threaten[s] to upend decades of settled law and practice and chill critical protected speech.”
The FCC has opened a public-comment proceeding but has yet to issue a final ruling or any public enforcement order against the daytime talk show.
The Post has sought comment from ABC, Mamdani, Avila Chevalier, Valdez and the FCC.
Read more Mauricio Pochettino lauds Folarin Balogun’s overturned suspension: ‘We were punished enough’
Related Posts
Rob Reiner’s final role draws fierce criticism 6 months after legendary director’s tragic death
Exclusive | Trump’s turncoat former fixer Michael Cohen lands new gig at WABC radio
