BS BULLETIN:

• ABC is currently asking the FCC to declare “The View” a “bona fide news interview program,” which would exempt it from certain political equal-time requirements.
• Ana Navarro used Monday’s show to spotlight Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar’s Florida race and told viewers in the district to “go vote.”
• Navarro then praised Democrat Elliott Rodriguez by name and declared: “We can actually knock this woman out.”

ABC has been trying to convince the federal government that “The View” is a bona fide news program.

Ana Navarro apparently decided to make the lawyers’ job more interesting.

During Monday’s show, Navarro turned the discussion toward Florida’s 27th Congressional District, where Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar is facing Democrat Elliott Rodriguez.

Navarro has a particular interest in this one. She lives in the district.

Navarro began by mocking Salazar for recently criticizing some of President Trump’s immigration enforcement policies despite previously voting for legislation that funded them. Then she turned to the election. Navarro said she had previously written off the race because Salazar won by roughly 20 points two years ago and Trump carried the district comfortably.

But after seeing polling showing a much closer contest, she got excited.

Very excited.

“So, anybody who lives in Coral Gables, in Miami, in Key Biscayne, in downtown Miami, pay attention to that race and go vote because it’s going to matter.”

Encouraging people to vote wasn’t where she stopped.

“And we can actually knock this woman out. There’s a great guy running, his name is Elliott Rodriguez. Give him a look.”

That attracted immediate attention from conservative media critics, who accused Navarro and ABC of electioneering.

Whether the segment violated any federal rule is a legal question, and neither the FCC nor ABC had publicly announced such a finding as of early Tuesday. But the timing is remarkable.

ABC is currently asking the FCC for a declaratory ruling that “The View” qualifies as a “bona fide news interview program.”

Federal law generally requires broadcasters that allow a legally qualified political candidate to use their facilities to provide equal opportunities to opposing candidates. There are exemptions, including for bona fide news interviews.

In an official public notice concerning ABC’s request, the FCC explained that those exemptions exist so legitimate news programming can cover candidates without automatically triggering equal-time obligations.

ABC wants “The View” included. And the FCC proceeding has already raised the question of whether the show’s programming decisions are based on legitimate newsworthiness rather than an intention to advance or harm a candidate.

Then came Monday.

Navarro didn’t merely discuss the Florida race. She identified the Republican she wanted to “knock” out, praised her Democratic opponent as “a great guy,” named him for the audience and told viewers living in the district to “go vote.”

That ought to make for an interesting exhibit.

DBS WIRE SOURCES:

• FCC — ABC asks FCC to declare ‘The View’ a bona fide news interview program
• Gateway Pundit — Ana Navarro urges Florida viewers to look at Democrat Elliott Rodriguez in FL-27 race
• Federal Election Commission — Equal-time and federal campaign resources