DOJ and FBI subpoenaed for social media censorship data.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Subpoenas DOJ and FBI for Documents on Alleged Censorship
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) has taken action by subpoenaing the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI for documents related to allegations of collaboration with social media companies to censor First Amendment-protected content. This includes the controversial Hunter Biden laptop story from 2020.
In letters accompanying the subpoenas, obtained by the Washington Examiner, Jordan addressed Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray. He emphasized that these documents are crucial for the committee’s investigation into the extent of coercion and collusion between the Executive Branch and companies to suppress free speech.
Request for Internal Documents and Communications
Chairman Jordan requested that both the DOJ and FBI provide all internal documents and communications regarding the moderation, suppression, or removal of content on private platforms. He set a deadline of September 15 for the delivery of these materials.
In April, Jordan had previously sent letters to Garland and Wray, making broad requests for records related to censorship practices. He referred to the “Twitter files,” which revealed FBI engagement with Twitter (now known as X) regarding the New York Post’s story implicating Joe Biden in his son Hunter Biden’s business dealings before the 2020 election.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the response so far, Jordan highlighted that the DOJ and FBI had only produced a single document, which he deemed “woefully inadequate.” He pointed out that this document omitted significant responsive material, such as communications between the DOJ and tech companies, internal communications, and communications with other executive branch entities.
Legal Implications and Judge’s Ruling
Jordan drew attention to the lawsuit Missouri v. Biden, where U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty issued a preliminary injunction ordering the Biden administration to halt certain censorship-related communications with social media companies during the ongoing lawsuit. The ruling revealed numerous interactions involving the FBI and social media companies, with the DOJ and FBI named as defendants in the case.
Highlighting the significance of the judge’s ruling, Jordan wrote, “A federal judge has found that the communications of various executive branch entities with social media platforms, including the Department of Justice, very likely violated Americans’ First Amendment rights. Yet you have produced nothing of substance in response to the Committee’s request.”
The Washington Examiner has reached out to the DOJ for comment.
For more information, you can read copies of the letters below:
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