The Biden presidency is accused of restricting free speech, typically with social media firms or to combat “misinformation.”
In reply to a lawsuit and FOIA requests, the DOJ has found at least 45 federal officials who interacted with social media firms about “misinformation.” White House press director Karine Jean-Pierre and Dr. Anthony Fauci have been ordered to hand over correspondence with them.
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, in a media release, said, “we have already received a number of documents that clearly prove that the federal government has an incestuous relationship with social media companies and clearly coordinate to censor freedom of speech, but we’re not done.”
Schmitt, a Senate candidate, is suing President Joe Biden for the administration’s censorship of COVID-19 “misinformation.” Schmitt accused the DOJ of hiding behind executive privilege and not turning over Biden federal officials’ social media conversations.
Biden and Democrats cite “disinformation” concerns about elections, vaccines, and COVID-19, but their responses have been criticized.
DHS’s “disinformation” Governance Board has been compared to 1984’s Ministry of Truth. Nina Jankowicz, the board’s executive director, had a history of championing false claims and downplaying truthful ones. The board was soon shut down.
One month later, VP Kamala Harris launched the White House Task Force to Combat Online Harassment and Abuse. During a June 16 event publicizing the task force, the vice president did not answer a direct question about how it would impose its goals on social media platforms. A study reported by the task force had close links to Jankowicz.
Materials in the lawsuit suggest DHS, CISA, NIAID, CDC, and the Surgeon General often corresponded with social media sites regarding “misinformation.”
Federal Judge Orders Biden Admin to Hand Over ‘Misinformation’ Emails From Fauci, Jean-Pierre https://t.co/qZncUccXB5
— Sebastian Gorka DrG (@SebGorka) September 8, 2022
Meta, Facebook’s parent company, waited to regulate COVID-19-related statements until CDC confirmation. The government had monthly “misinfo/debunking meetings” with Meta personnel, and the White House requested the business to remove a Fauci impersonator account.
Brent Bozell, president of the Media Research Center, says this violates the First Amendment.
He claimed Biden’s team was asking media companies to ban Americans, which breaches their free speech rights. The Biden administration thinks it can regulate what people say online for Orwellian political gain. Full government-Big Tech collaboration must be revealed.
White House, HHS, NIAID, and Meta were approached for comment. Only NIAID answered, indicating they don’t comment on litigation.
Jean-Pierre said she couldn’t comment on the litigation when questioned about the email order on Wednesday.
“In our battle against COVID-19, it has been critical for the American people to have access to factual, accurate, science-based information,” she added as a general statement. “Ensuring that any media platforms have access to the latest information on a once-in-a-generation pandemic is something that has been done since the earliest days of the pandemic, beginning under the former president.”
Fauci was accused of manipulating public views on COVID-19’s origins after FOIA emails suggested he downplayed the lab leak possibility.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), a regular Fauci opponent, attacked the doctor over the email news.
He stated all of America should be shocked that America’s doctor, the leading COVID expert in public health, won’t disclose information or his conversations with Big Tech.
A Trump-appointed Louisiana judge gave Fauci and Jean-Pierre 21 days to turn over their conversations.
Conservatives say it’s not the Biden administration’s role to regulate social media.
Bozell argued the feds shouldn’t censor Americans. Not in a free nation.