Interviewees One of the ex-POWs interviewed in Stolen Honor is USAF Col. (ret.) Kenneth Cordier, who was dismissed from his role as volunteer member of the 2004 Bush campaign veterans steering committee after it was noticed that he had appeared in the second Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (SBVT) ad. The Bush campaign had denied Democratic charges that it was coordinating with the tax-exempt 527 group. In October 2004, one of the Marine veterans shown in the film, University of Delaware professor Kenneth J. Campbell, sued Sherwood over his depiction in the film. October 2004 media controversy In early October 2004, it was reported that Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns television stations in nearly one-quarter of the United States, had ordered all of its stations to air Stolen Honor in the days leading up to the November 2 presidential election. These news reports touched off a media firestorm. According to television critic Alessandra Stanley, formerly of The New York Times: Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal, the highly contested anti-Kerry documentary, should not be shown by the Sinclair Broadcast Group. It should be shown in its entirety on all the networks, cable stations and on public television. This histrionic, often specious and deeply sad film does not do much more damage to Senator John Kerry's reputation than have the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth's negative ads, which have flooded television markets in almost every swing state. But it does help viewers better understand the rage fueling the unhappy band of brothers who oppose Mr. Kerry's candidacy and his claim to heroism. ... [T]his film is payback time, a chance to punish one of the most famous antiwar activists, Mr. Kerry, the one who got credit for serving with distinction in combat, then, through the eyes of the veterans in this film, went home to discredit the men left behind." She also said that Stolen Honor's imagery "is crude, but powerful". She also made clear however, that Stolen Honor had various "distortions... intended to hurt Mr. Kerry at the polls". The news of the possible Sinclair broadcast was followed by various complaints that such a broadcast would violate the "equal time" provision of the Communications Act that governs airtime for political candidates. When questioned about this contention, then current FCC chairman Michael Powell announced the FCC position that a broadcast of this documentary would not be a violation of the equal