The House Judiciary Committee is aiming to uncover potentially more dystopian free speech violations from two major government agencies in coordination with five Big Tech companies.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) sent letters to Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray regarding government pressure to crush free speech, according to an April 9 press release. Jordan also issued letters to the CEOs of Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, Meta (which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) and Alphabet (owner of Google and YouTube). “The Judiciary Committee is conducting oversight of how and to what extent the Executive Branch has coerced or colluded with companies and other intermediaries to censor lawful speech,” the House Judiciary wrote.
This comes as the House Judiciary Committee is also summoning three former Biden White House officials to testify on alleged government efforts to censor free speech. These officials are former White House Director of Digital Strategy Rob Flaherty, former COVID-19 Coordinator Andy Slavitt and former COVID-19 Digital Director Clarke Humphrey, according to the New York Post.
Jordan’s Committee is taking action on the FBI-tech coordination since the Supreme Court stayed a Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals injunction against government censorship activities. An FBI spokesperson confirmed on March 20 that the agency’s Foreign Influence Task Force (FITF) is again communicating with tech companies, per the press release. Jordan is now warning the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI that “all documents and communications relating to ongoing discussions between the FBI and each Big Tech company fall within the scope of the Committee's [previous] subpoenas.”
The records requested include potential communications between each tech company, the FBI San Francisco Field Office, and FITF, particularly regarding “alleged foreign influence or election integrity.”
Conservatives are under attack. Contact your representatives and demand that Big Tech be held to account to mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency and an equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored, contact us at the Media Research Center contact form, and help us hold Big Tech accountable.
