ABC and its parent company Disney have urged the Federal Communications Commission to reject petitions seeking to deny renewal of broadcast licenses for eight ABC-owned television stations, arguing that the agency’s actions amount to retaliation for critical news coverage of President Donald Trump. In a filing made public Thursday, the network’s legal team described the FCC’s demand for an early review of the station licenses as part of an “ongoing retaliation campaign” intended to punish the network and create a chilling effect on free speech. The filing also noted that public comments overwhelmingly favor license renewals. ABC previously described the potential loss of licenses as the “death penalty” for a broadcaster. The petitions before the FCC seek to block renewal of licenses for the eight stations, a move ABC says is driven by presidential displeasure with its programming. The network called the proceedings “extraordinary and unprecedented.”