A Federal Communications Commission commissioner made the false claim on Saturday: Kamala Harris‘look Saturday Night Live He violated the “equal time” rule.

“This is a clear and obvious effort to evade the FCC’s Equal Time rule,” Commissioner Brendan Carr said. wrote on X, formerly known as Twitterin response to reports of his planned appearance.

The FCC’s equal time rule requires American radio and television stations to offer equal time to competing political candidates. But the burden of claiming those equal opportunities falls on candidates, and the agency’s policy on the rule says: “Equal opportunities generally means providing comparable time and placement to competing candidates; does not require a station to provide competing candidates with the same programs as the initiating candidate.”

“The purpose of the rule is precisely to avoid this type of biased and partisan behavior – a licensed broadcaster using the public airwaves to influence a candidate on the eve of an election,” Carr wrote in a social media statement, in which an FCC representative said it did not represent the agency’s official views. Unless the publisher offers Equal Time to other eligible campaigns.”

In a statement Hollywood ReporterThe FCC stated that they “have not made any decisions regarding political programming rules and have not received any complaints from interested parties.”

Carr appointed to FCC Donald Trump In 2017. ForbesHe is also credited as the author of a chapter in Project 2025, the Republican party’s unofficial policy plan. He touched upon the following point in his post on Saturday: SNL Executive producer Lorne Michaels it has been said before TR the show would not be able to reach either Harris or Trump by invoking the equal time rule.

“Because of election laws and equal term provisions, you cannot nominate natural persons who are running for office,” Michaels said. TRand then clarified: “You can’t have the major candidates without having all the candidates, and there are a lot of minor candidates that are on the ballot in just three states, and it gets really complicated.”

SNL has a long history of welcoming political candidates during their campaigns (including Trump in 2015).

Harris’ Saturday night guest star He singled out a Democratic candidate talking to him (or her) Maya Rudolph(i.e.) Trump’s appearance is similar in nature to Jimmy Fallon’s impression of him in his 2015 sketch.

“Now Kamala, take my palm-ala,” Rudolph said to the deputy. Then they started finishing each other’s sentences. “The American people want to stop the chaos and end the drama with a cool new stepmomala. Look, put on our pajamas and watch a rum-Kamala, like legally blonde-superb. And start decorating for Christmas, Fa-la-la-la-la. Because what do we always say? Hide Kamala and move on.”

John Mulaney hosted the episode with musical guest Chappell Roan.

Sunday, November 3, 11:44 Updated with statement and information from FCC representative.