Former Reps. Pete King and Jack Kingston Denounce NYC Effort to Remove Newsmax from Taxis as Unconstitutional Viewpoint Discrimination

By Newsmax Wires | Sunday, 01 February 2026 10:27 AM EST

Former Reps. Pete King and Jack Kingston criticized a call to ban Newsmax from New York City taxi screens during a recent appearance on Newsmax’s “Wake Up America Weekend,” labeling the effort unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination.

Kingston, a Republican representing Georgia, emphasized that the First Amendment prohibits viewpoint-based censorship: “You’re absolutely not allowed to have viewpoint discrimination, which is what the First [Amendment] protection is all about. You might not like what somebody’s saying, but they still have the right to say it.”

The proposal follows a letter from Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani urging officials to intervene and remove Newsmax from the city’s Curb screens inside taxis.

Newsmax has pushed back against the call, stating it is “a pure act of censorship targeting a news organization reaching over 50 million Americans regularly.” The network described its approach as “playing it straight,” which it claims drives “the far left crazy.”

Kingston highlighted concerns about privacy and constitutional rights: “On a licensing agreement, you can’t forgo your other rights just because these taxis have to have a license. That doesn’t mean they can’t have their own rights to the Constitution.” He also noted that government officials should not interfere in private conversations: “If I as a passenger am watching something like this, it’s privacy. The government doesn’t have the right to insert itself into our own private conversation or discussion.”

Kingston agreed the proposal constitutes censorship and called it “embarrassing” for New Yorkers: “Just when you think it can’t get any worse in New York, something like this happens.” He added that Newsmax’s growing influence—reaching audiences with “straight news” without political bias—makes such efforts “more than the Manhattan borough president can handle.”

King stated the situation underscores Newsmax’s expanding impact: “In many ways it’s a tribute to Newsmax. For a city official to concentrate such effort on removing the network means Newsmax really is making an impact.”