PHOENIX — A top Arizona Republican is escalating a three-year-old controversy into a federal battle, calling for regulators to revoke Arizona PBS's broadcast license over its handling of a 2022 gubernatorial debate that never materialized.

Senate President Warren Petersen has filed a formal complaint with the Federal Communications Commission, alleging that Arizona State University—which operates Arizona PBS—engaged in "viewpoint discrimination" against Republican candidate Kari Lake during the heated 2022 governor's race.

In a five-page letter Aug. 12 to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, Petersen says: "Arizona PBS made broadcast decisions based on how it viewed Kari Lake's positions on election integrity and Katie Hobbs' electoral prospects. Arizona PBS did not act in the public interest."

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