In Kind Contributions
Segment #614
The left has for the past decade drawn a very clear ;line on the new rules of governance and fair play. Control the media and let them run cover. Wage lawfare against opponents in the name of justice for all. Control the money through NGO’s and USAID to pay back political supporters. Sell out American citizens by brokering international deals…. and more. The right now has a megaphone and they are are playing by the same rules. DEI by definition is racist. It is now replaced by merit and talent. The only answer the Dems have is to call everyone racist or a fascist. Every heard a Dem define those terms and explain what the term was appropriate.
Any way The Kimmel/Colbert becomes a new and interesting point on contact and not the way you think. For sure both are history but not because of some phony 1st amendment claim. No body that’s sane wants the FCC and Brenda Carr dictating content to the media.. that’s a losing argument in a free society. Colbert and Kimmel will disappear because the media knows they can no longer defend the bias against the Federal Election Laws. Look at the data below. These programs have terrible ratings and a huge legal liability. Remember Trump beat CBS/Paramount for the editing of the Kamala interview. The Trump administration and their supporters will sue the left every chance they get for this blatant bias. The trend is a loser for the Dems and they know it. When you look at the data below, Kimmel and Colbert were lawsuits waiting to happen. It is mind blowing how arrogant 60 Minutes had to be to get caught in this trap. UNDERSTAND THIS WAS IN REALITY A GUILTY PLEA FROM CBS/PARAMOUNT TO AVOID A 30 BILLION DOLLAR LAWSUIT. IT CAME AFTER TRUMP ALSO BEAT ABC AND STEPHANOPOULOS N ANOTHER LAWSUIT FOR THE HEIGHT CHALLENGED HOST’S SLANDER AGAINST TRUMP
In the context of U.S. political campaign finance, the in-kind contribution is a non-monetary donation of anything of value. Political legislation treats an in-kind contribution exactly the same as a monetary (cash) contribution, subjecting it to the same limits and disclosure rules.
The definition and key rules set by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) for federal elections are as follows:
1. Definition
An in-kind contribution is a non-monetary gift of goods or services to a political campaign, committee, or party that is:
Provided Free or at a Reduced Cost: The goods or services are offered for free or at less than the usual and normal charge (fair market value).
Paid for by a Third Party: When a person or entity pays for campaign-related goods or services on the committee's behalf.
Coordinated Expenditure: An expenditure made by an individual or group in cooperation, consultation, or concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, a candidate's campaign. This coordination turns what might otherwise be an independent expenditure into a contribution to the campaign.
2. Valuation
The value of an in-kind contribution is determined by its usual and normal charge (fair market value). This value is what counts against the contributor's legal limit.
Goods: Valued at the price the item would cost if purchased or rented at the time of the contribution.
Services: Valued at the actual cost of the service or the compensation the individual would normally charge for their time.
3. Contribution Limits
Same Limits as Cash: The fair market value of the in-kind contribution counts against the contributor's legal contribution limit for that election cycle, just as a gift of money would. The combined total of a donor's cash and in-kind contributions cannot exceed the limit.
4. Reporting Requirements
Full Disclosure: Campaigns are legally required to report both the receipt and the expenditure of an in-kind contribution to the FEC (or relevant state authority).
Itemization: The in-kind contribution must be itemized on the campaign finance report, including:
The contributor's name, address, employer, and occupation.
The date of the contribution.
The fair market value of the good or service.
A description of the good or service provided (e.g., "In-Kind: Office Supplies" or "In-Kind: Printing Costs").
Reporting both sides of the ledger: To prevent inflating a campaign's cash-on-hand total, the value is reported both as a contribution received and as a corresponding expenditure (a non-cash disbursement).
Common Examples of In-Kind Contributions
Donated services from a lawyer or accountant (beyond uncompensated volunteer time).
Donated use of equipment such as computers, printers, or vehicles (if not incidental volunteer use).
Free or discounted printing of campaign mailers or flyers.
Office space or a conference room provided to the campaign for free or at a reduced rental rate.
Payments made by a supporter directly to a campaign vendor (e.g., a printer or pollster).
Independent studies indicate that both Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert have a very heavily skewed ratio of liberal and Democratic-affiliated guests compared to conservative and Republican-affiliated guests.1
While the exact numbers change over time, the overall trend is consistent across multiple years and different studies.
General Trend (Recent Data)
According to a study by the Media Research Center's News Busters, which tracked guests on five major late-night shows (including Kimmel and Colbert) from September 2022 to mid-2025, the overall tally was:2
Liberal/Democratic-affiliated Guests (Cumulative): 5113
Conservative/Republican-affiliated Guests (Cumulative): 144
This suggests that over that period, approximately 97% of the political guests across the shows were left-leaning.5
Breakdown by Host (First Half of 2025 Study)
Focusing on a specific six-month period (January 6 to June 30, 2025), the same study broke down the "partisan official" guests (politicians) for Colbert and Kimmel:
Host = Democratic Politicians vs Republican Politicians
Stephen Colbert140Jimmy Kimmel40
The data indicates that when these hosts feature political guests, they overwhelmingly invite Democratic and liberal figures.6
It is important to note that these studies define "political guests" broadly to include politicians, political commentators, and celebrities who are strongly identified with a political side. The vast majority of all late-night guests are actors, musicians, and other celebrities who are not explicitly political.
FCC
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) examines the conduct and content of broadcast licensees primarily on the basis of the "public interest, convenience, and necessity" standard set forth in the Communications Act of 1934.1
This broad statutory mandate requires licensees to operate as public trustees of the airwaves, justifying the FCC's authority to impose rules in specific, limited areas.2
1. Basis for Examining Conduct: The Public Interest Standard
The core of the FCC's authority is the requirement that it grant and renew broadcast licenses only if doing so will serve the "public interest, convenience, and necessity."3
This standard is the foundation for FCC rules regulating:
Technical Compliance: Ensuring the station adheres to its license's technical parameters (e.g., power limits, operating frequency) to prevent harmful interference to other stations.4
Station Operations and Character: Reviewing the licensee's character qualifications and ensuring compliance with all filing and record-keeping requirements, particularly during the license renewal process.
Political Broadcasting: Enforcing statutory obligations like the "Equal Opportunities Rule" (Section 315) for candidates and the "Reasonable Access Rule" (Section 312(a)(7)) for federal candidates.
2. Basis for Examining Content: Narrow, Specific Limitations
While the First Amendment and Section 326 of the Communications Act explicitly prohibit the FCC from censoring broadcast content, the unique nature of the public airwaves and their pervasiveness (especially to children) has been held by courts to allow for regulation in a few narrowly defined areas.6
The FCC's authority to regulate content is limited to the following categories:
Category - Authority & Principle
ObscenityCriminal Law: Obscene material is not protected by the First Amendment and is therefore prohibited from being broadcast at any time.
Indecency & ProfanityPublic Interest: The FCC restricts this content—which is protected speech—to the hours of 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., when children are less likely to be in the audience.
Children's ProgrammingStatutory Mandate: Enforcing rules established by Congress (like the Children's Television Act) regarding the quantity of educational/informational programming and the separation of programming from advertising.
News DistortionPublic Interest/Misrepresentation: Examining cases where a licensee is accused of deliberately distorting or fabricating news, which is considered a severe breach of the public trust and may lead to a non-renewal of the license.Sponsorship IdentificationStatutory Mandate: Enforcing rules that require broadcasters to disclose who pays for material aired on the station.
It is important to note that most rules regarding content are enforced against over-the-air broadcasters (local TV and radio) and generally do not apply to other platforms like cable, satellite, or the internet.7