House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) is plowing ahead with his crusade to crack down on censorship. On Thursday he sent a letter to CEO Imran Ahmed of Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH).
The letter cuts right to the chase. After reminding that the Committee "is conducting oversight of how and to what extent the Executive Branch has coerced and colluded with companies and other intermediaries to censor," Jordan's letter points out that CCDH may be involved.
"Certain third parties, including organizations like yours, appear to have played a role in this censorship regime by advising the government and social media companies on so-called 'misinformation' and other types of content—sometimes with direct or indirect support or approval from the federal government," the letter reads. "Whether directly or indirectly, a government-approved-or facilitated censorship regime is a grave threat to the First Amendment and Americans’ civil liberties. Accordingly, as part of the Committee’s constitutional oversight obligations, we write to request relevant information and documents."
The censorship-prone White House appears to have had a direct role with CCDH as well in that they "relied on CCDH’s report" known of "The Disinformation Dozen" when it comes to "its unconstitutional pressure campaign against social media platforms to censor," those "maligned as anti-vaxxers..." This includes Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has appeared before the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, which Jordan also chairs, and who is challenging President Joe Biden in the Democratic presidential primary.
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#NEWS: @Jim_Jordan Expands Censorship Investigation to Center for Countering Digital Hate.
— House Judiciary GOP 🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryGOP) August 3, 2023
The Biden White House relied on CCDH in its unconstitutional pressure campaign against social media platforms to censor Americans. pic.twitter.com/L3ov1DWfdd
The Committee asks Ahmed for a list of materials by August 17 to do with any communication those affiliated with CCDH had with the Executive Branch involving matters of censorship, with social media companies, including the following:
1. All documents and communications, from January 1, 2015 to the present, between or among any employee, contractor, or agent of your organization and the Executive Branch of the United States Government referring or relating to the moderation, deletion, suppression, restriction, demonetization, or reduced circulation of content; the accuracy or truth of content; or the attribution of content to the source or participant in a foreign malign or state-sponsored influence operation.
2. All documents and communications, from January 1, 2015 to the present, between or among any employee, contractor, or agent of your organization and any technology company, including social media companies, referring or relating to the moderation, deletion, suppression, restriction, demonetization, or reduced circulation of content; the accuracy or truth of content; or the attribution of content to the source or participant in a foreign malign or state-sponsored influence operation.
3. A list of employees, contractors, or agents of your organization, along with their current and prior titles, who, from January 1, 2015 to the present, have communicated with the Executive Branch of the United States Government regarding the moderation, deletion, suppression, restriction, demonetization, or reduced circulation of content; the accuracy or truth of content; or the attribution of content to the source or participant in a foreign malign or state-sponsored influence operation.
4. A list of employees, contractors, or agents for your organization, along with their current and prior titles, who, from January 1, 2015 to the present, have communicated with any technology company, including social media companies, regarding the moderation, deletion, suppression, restriction, demonetization, or reduced circulation of content; the accuracy or truth of content; or the attribution of content to the source or participant in a foreign malign or state-sponsored influence operation.
5. A list of all grants, contracts, or any funds received, from January 1, 2015 to the present, from the United States Government, as well as any underlying documentation that reflects those grants, contracts, or funds, relating in any way to your organization’s efforts concerning the moderation, deletion, suppression, restriction, demonetization, or reduced circulation of content; the accuracy or truth of content; or the attribution of content to the source or participant in a foreign malign or state-sponsored influence operation.
CCDH is also put on notice when it comes to the request to "treat these discovery obligations as ongoing and applicable to any information generated after receipt of this letter," as well as to preserve all documents related to the matter.
A quick glance at their website shows the organization is especially preoccupied with liberal causes to the point of looking to censor those who disagree, such as on issues of abortion and climate change. They also seem to have a particular bone to pick with Elon Musk.
Sure enough, there's also a section on "Anti-vaxx misinformation," under the "Dis/Misinformation" category.
The "About" section claims that their "mission is to protect human rights and civil liberties online," though it appears they may do so through censorship. "Social media companies erode basic human rights and civil liberties by enabling the spread of online hate and disinformation," the section goes on to claim, adding that they supposedly "deny the problem, deflect the blame, and delay taking responsibility." As Jordan's letter also references, the letter claims that "CCDH holds them accountable and responsible for their business choices by highlighting their failures, educating the public, and advocating change from platforms and governments to protect our communities.
This letter came the same day that Jordan tweeted out the third edition of the Facebook Files, containing internal documents that the Committee had subpoenaed from Meta, which were finally delivered after the Committee threatened to hold CEO Mark Zuckerberg in contempt. The first and second edition were both released last week. All point to collusion between Facebook and the Biden administration to censor content to do with COVID-19, even if it was true.
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