Colbert fumes at CBS, says it barred him from interviewing Texas Dem amid FCC crackdown

"The Late Show" host Stephen Colbert claimed Monday that CBS barred him from interviewing a Democratic Senate candidate on air amid the recent crackdown by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Colbert said CBS lawyers told his show "in no uncertain terms" that he could not interview Texas Senate candidate James Talarico on the show and then "in some uncertain terms" that he couldn't mention to viewers that he couldn't interview Talarico.

The liberal comedian tied the move to the FCC's enforcement of the long-standing equal time rule that allows all legally qualified candidates, regardless of party, to receive equal airtime on the broadcast networks. According to the policy, Talarico's Democratic primary rivals — which are Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett and little-known candidate Ahmad Hassan, would require the same amount of airtime on the networks he appears on.