California Atty. Gen. Rob‍ bonta on Monday accused ⁢Federal Communications ‌Commission Chairman Brendan Carr of unlawfully intimidating television ​broadcasters into toeing a conservative line⁣ in favor‌ of President Trump, and urged him to reverse course.

in a letter to Carr, Bonta specifically cited ABC’s decision to pull “Jimmy Kimmel​ Live!” off the air after ​Kimmel ​made comments about the‌ killing of close ⁤Trump ally ‍Charlie Kirk, and Carr demanded ABC’s parent⁣ company Disney “take action” against the late-night⁤ host.

Bonta wrote ‍that California “is home to a great many artists, entertainers, and other individuals who every day exercise their right to free speech and free expression,” and that Carr’s demands of Disney threatened their 1st Amendment‌ rights.

“As the Supreme Court held over ‍sixty years ago‍ and unanimously⁣ reaffirmed just last year,‌ ‘the First Amendment prohibits government officials from relying on the threat of invoking legal sanctions⁤ and other means of coercion to⁤ achieve the suppression of disfavored speech,'” Bonta wrote.

Carr and Trump have both denied playing a role in ‍Kimmel’s suspension, alleging rather that it was‌ due to his ⁢show having poor‍ ratings.

After Disney announced monday that ‍Kimmel’s show would be returning to ABCBonta said he was “pleased to hear ABC is reversing course⁢ on its capitulation to the FCC’s unlawful threats,” but that his “concerns stand.”

He rejected‍ Trump⁤ and Carr’s denials of involvement, and accused the administration of “waging a dangerous attack on those who dare to ⁣speak out against it.”

“Censoring and silencing critics ‌because you don’t like⁢ what they say – be it a comedian, a lawyer, or a peaceful protester ​- is fundamentally un-american,” while⁣ such censorship by the U.S. government is “absolutely chilling,” Bonta said.

Bonta called on Carr to “stop his campaign of censorship” and commit‍ to defending the right to free speech in the U.S., which he said would require “an ​express disavowal” of his previous‍ threats and “an unambiguous pledge” that he ⁢will not use the FCC “to retaliate against private parties” ⁤for speech he disagrees with moving forward.

“News outlets have reported today that ABC will be returning Mr.‌ Kimmel’s show to its broadcast tomorrow night.⁣ While ​it is heartening to see the exercise of free speech ultimately prevail, this does⁣ not erase your threats and ‍the⁢ resultant suppression of​ free speech from this⁣ past week or the prospect that your threats will chill free speech in the future,” Bonta wrote