Senate panel approves bill to bar government officials from pressuring networks on free speech

By David ShepardsonWASHINGTON, Sept 16 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee approved legislation on Wednesday to bar government officials from pressuring private companies to censor speech, citing threats from the Trump administration ‌against late-night talk shows as evidence of efforts to stifle free expression.The measure would allow citizens to ‌sue federal employees who pressure private companies into suppressing speech protected by the First Amendment to the U