Byron Donalds Blasts Stephen Colbert Over Texas Primary Interview
Florida Rep. Byron Donalds is accusing CBS host Stephen Colbert of interfering in the Texas Democratic Senate primary — and raising federal broadcast law in the process.
According to Florida Politics, Donalds criticized Colbert after the late-night host interviewed Texas state Rep. Tom Talarico, a Democratic candidate in the primary race. Donalds argued the appearance amounted to an Equal Time Rule issue under Federal Communications Commission guidelines.
The segment featuring Talarico aired online via YouTube rather than through traditional CBS broadcast, the outlet reported. Donalds suggested the network avoided airing it on television due to potential regulatory concerns.
Related: CBS Lawyers Blocked Colbert from Airing James Talarico Interview, Stephen Reveals
“This is Stephen Colbert trying to put his thumb on a scale for his preferred candidate,” Donalds said, adding that Colbert’s “credibility is shot,” according to Florida Politics.
However, the report did not cite any confirmed FCC ruling or enforcement action related to the interview. There is also no indication of a formal complaint having been filed with the commission at the time of publication.
The Equal Time Rule generally requires broadcast stations to provide comparable opportunities to opposing candidates if one legally qualified candidate is given airtime, though exemptions often apply to news and entertainment programming.
Related: Talarico’s Interview Fiasco Sparks $2.5M Surge as Crockett Pushes Experience Edge
The dispute highlights ongoing friction between Republican lawmakers and major media networks as election season intensifies. It also raises questions about how federal broadcast regulations intersect with online distribution platforms.
As of Saturday, neither CBS nor Colbert had publicly responded to Donalds’ remarks.
Whether the matter escalates into a formal regulatory complaint remains unclear.
The controversy lands as primary contests begin to draw national attention.