The country’s banking system is teetering, we’re inching closer to war with Russia in Ukraine, and East Palestine, Ohio, is still a mess, so I can see how this exchange might have fallen by the wayside last week. Matt Taibbi testified before the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. Taibbi, a former contributing editor for Rolling Stone, opted to go independent, devoting his full-time writing to his successful Substack newsletter. Taibbi has been calling out the liberal media for their serial failures, especially on the Russian collusion hoax. This reporting style has led many progressives to label him pro-Trump and a conservative when he’s anything but those things; Taibbi is a committed liberal.
Yet, he’s also pro-free speech and very wary of the censorship apparatus the political class, intelligence community, and big tech have created—all of which has been documented in the series of stories called the Twitter Files. The evidence confirming conservative bias was unearthed once Elon Musk bought the company.
I don’t think people understand the ramifications of allowing a federal agency to declare the informational landscape “critical infrastructure” and assert the right to protect it through censorship. https://t.co/OBPhUtg39N
— Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) March 14, 2023
Taibbi had to push back against attacks that he was pro-MAGA, a beacon of misinformation, and a peddler of conspiracy theories against Democrats who probably didn’t read his past work when he was with Rolling Stone magazine. It was when Democrats demanded he reveal his sources that he drew the line, though Rep. Stacey Plaskett (D-VIS), the ranking member on the committee, refuted Taibbi’s claim that he was called to make such disclosures. Taibbi pointed out her past remarks to shut down this little tete-a-tete (via The Blaze):
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Your direct quote was, “Who gave you access to these emails?” https://t.co/uGq2dlWH78
— Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) March 12, 2023
WATCH @StaceyPlaskett just falsely claimed she did not ask @mtaibbi to reveal his sources for the #TwitterFiles
— House Republicans (@HouseGOP) March 9, 2023
She did.
ROLL THE TAPE. pic.twitter.com/JUVSuD0n61
After testifying before the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government last Thursday, Taibbi rebuked Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas) for appearing to accuse him of propagating "extreme MAGA Republican lies, misinformation, and outright conspiracy theories."
Taibbi responded, "Congresswoman, how does badgering a non-MAGA, non-Republican journalist to give up a source constitute fighting 'Extreme MAGA Republican lies'?"
[…]
Plaskett, the ranking member of the subcommittee, defended her Democratic colleague, claiming there was no pressure put on Taibbi to reveal his sources.
"No one is interested in revealing 'journalists'' sources," she claimed. "What we ALL should be interested in is what discussion, promises and/or deals Elon Musk has with Taibbi[,] Shellenberger[,] @HouseGOP[,] and definitely Jim Jordan @HouseJudiciary."
Taibbi responded on Sunday by pointing out that Plaskett is not being honest, using her own words to prove his point.
"Your direct quote was, 'Who gave you access to these emails?'" Taibbi responded.
The Democrats were caught lying, which means this is a day that ends in “y.”
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