{"id":2341976,"date":"2024-09-16T17:06:10","date_gmt":"2024-09-16T21:06:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-administration-denies-targeting-journalists-and-member-of-congress-critical-of-state-department-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-09-16T17:08:40","modified_gmt":"2024-09-16T21:08:40","slug":"biden-administration-denies-targeting-journalists-and-member-of-congress-critical-of-state-department-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-administration-denies-targeting-journalists-and-member-of-congress-critical-of-state-department-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Biden administration denies targeting journalists and member of Congress critical of State Department &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbiden-administration-denies-targeting-journalists-and-member-of-congress-critical-of-state-department-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2341976&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Biden administration has\u2063 publicly denied allegations that it targeted journalists and \u200ba congressman critical of the State Department. The controversy centers around claims that the State Department funded a blacklist of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/is-anyone-more-annoying-or-treacherous-than-barack-obama\/\" title=\"Is Anyone More Annoying or Treacherous than Barack Obama?\">conservative media outlets<\/a>, purportedly as part of efforts to combat misinformation. Notable figures like Matt \u2063Taibbi and investigative journalist Gabe Kaminsky have highlighted links between the \u2063State Department&#8217;s Global Engagement Center (GEC) and censorship practices. Taibbi reported that the GEC pressured social media platforms to suppress content related \u2064to COVID-19, while \u2064Kaminsky revealed that the \u200cGEC provided financial \u2064support to an organization\u200c that created a list of\u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-tech-totalitarianism-threatens-to-turn-america-into-canada-or-china-unless-we-stop-it\/\" title=\"Why Tech Totalitarianism Threatens To Turn America Into Canada Or China Unless We Stop It\">conservative-leaning outlets<\/a> \u2064to weaken their advertising prospects.<\/p>\n<p>Despite these \u2063claims, \u2062the State Department maintains that it did not engage in this kind of funding. In response to inquiries, they noted that the reporting was based \u200bon incomplete evidence and emphasized their lack of communication with Kaminsky\u200d regarding specific grant-related questions. The situation raises concerns about the boundaries of government \u200binfluence on media platforms and freedom\u200d of expression.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Biden administration denies targeting journalists and Congress member critical of State Department<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1757884\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/state-department\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>State Department<\/a> is attempting to discredit the validity of reports that it was funding the formation of a blacklist of conservative papers due to its alleged spread of disinformation for top company advertisers<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Matt Taibbi, author behind the <em>Twitter Files<\/em>, and&nbsp;<em>Washington Examiner&nbsp;<\/em>investigative journalist Gabe Kaminsky, both brought to light examples of the State Department&rsquo;s Global Engagement Center being linked to apparent censorship. Taibbi reported that the GEC was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republican-senators-warn-biden-admin-running-covert-censorship-operation\/\" title=\"Republican Senators Warn Biden Admin Running Covert Censorship Operation\">pressuring social media platforms<\/a>, such as X, formerly known as Twitter, and Facebook, to suppress posts and information related to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/covid-19\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> COVID-19<\/a>, while the&nbsp;<em>Washington Examiner<\/em>&nbsp;reported on the GEC funding a group blacklisting Republican media outlets.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>According to Taibbi, the GEC framed it as combating Russian and Chinese disinformation, but it was actually being used to censor people in the United States. This included posts about the Wuhan lab leak theory, which virologists say has more evidence behind it than the theory that the virus jumped from animal to human.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We learned Twitter, Facebook, Google, and other companies developed a formal system for taking in moderation &lsquo;requests&rsquo; from every corner of government: the FBI, DHS, HHS, DOD, the Global Engagement Center at State, even the CIA,&rdquo; Taibbi <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/03\/09\/matt-taibbi-eviscerates-twitter-in-congressional-hearing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>testified<\/a> to Congress in March of that year.<\/p>\n<p>In February 2023, Kaminsky uncovered that the GEC awarded a $100,000 GRANT to the London-based Global Disinformation Index in 2021 and 2021, which then made a list of 10 outlets with Republican and libertarian-leaning opinion sections in an effort to blackball them from top advertisers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The grant from GEC was distributed in October 2021 and March 2022. <\/p>\n<p>However, records from the State Department obtained by the <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2024\/09\/13\/us-news\/state-department-tried-to-discredit-reporters-republican-pol-over-conservative-blacklist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><em>New York Post<\/em> <\/a>seek to claim the agency had no part in funding the GDI.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Elon Musk&rsquo;s retweet of Taibbi&rsquo;s thread insinuates that the [US government], and the GEC in particular, pressured Twitter to close U.S. accounts of which the [US government] disapproved,&rdquo; the guidance document <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2024\/09\/13\/us-news\/state-department-tried-to-discredit-reporters-republican-pol-over-conservative-blacklist\/\">says<\/a>.&ldquo;The evidence offered for this claim is often missing, inferred, or presented out of context. The thread comes to no firm conclusion, and switches blame to the FBI near the end of the string.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In addition, the State Department said Kaminsky &ldquo;did not ask for an interview,&rdquo; but it acknowledged that he &ldquo;sent questions repeatedly&rdquo; to the department&rsquo;s press office for information about the grant to GDI.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The State Department had numerous opportunities to respond to our reporting in the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> on its funding of the Global Disinformation Index, but they declined to answer basic questions,&rdquo; Kaminsky said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In its documents, the department paraphrased Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN)&rsquo;s words in a <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/finance\/2773271\/disinformation-inc-state-department-bankrolls-group-secretly-blacklisting-conservative-media\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Washington Examiner<\/a> <\/em>article to insinuate that Banks would have influence in Russian operations. Banks had originally said he would tell Congress to ban federal funding of anti-free speech groups.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The State Department falsely claimed I was boosting Russian state propaganda because I called out their censorship of conservative Americans,&rdquo; Banks told the outlet in a statement. &ldquo;They are proving my point. It&rsquo;s un-American and disgraceful.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, the State Department denies its involvement in censoring people in the U.S.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The Department of State has been and continues to be responsive to dozens of reporters&rsquo; requests for comment and congressional inquiries,&rdquo; a spokesperson told the outlet. &ldquo;The bottom line remains the same: the Global Engagement Center does not engage in censorship, and it is focused on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-state-department-stands-by-disinformation-grant-to-conservative-blacklister\/\" title=\"Biden&#039;s State Department supports grant for conservative blacklisting despite disinformation claims.\">countering foreign disinformation overseas<\/a>, not on the domestic information environment.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1757884\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1757884\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Biden administration has rejected claims that it is targeting journalists and a Congress member who have criticized the State Department. The department is working to undermine reports suggesting it funded the creation of a blacklist aimed at conservative media outlets, which are accused of spreading disinformation for major advertisers. Matt Taibbi, known for his work on the Twitter Files, along with investigative journalist Gabe Kaminsky from the Washington Examiner, highlighted instances where the State Department&#8217;s Global Engagement Center (GEC) appeared to be involved in censorship efforts. Taibbi noted that the GEC pressured social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook to limit posts related to COVID-19, while Kaminsky reported on GEC funding a group that blacklisted Republican media organizations. According to Taibbi, although the GEC claimed its actions were intended to combat disinformation from Russia and China, they were actually used for censoring U.S. citizens\u2014particularly regarding discussions about the Wuhan lab leak theory, which some virologists argue has more supporting evidence than other theories about how COVID-19 spread.<\/p>\n<p>In March 2023 testimony before Congress, Taibbi revealed that major tech companies had established formal systems for receiving moderation requests from various government agencies including the FBI and CIA as well as from the GEC. In February 2023, Kaminsky discovered that in 2021 and 2022, GEC provided a $100,000 grant to London\u2019s Global Disinformation Index (GDI), which subsequently compiled a list of ten outlets with conservative viewpoints in an effort to exclude them from top advertisers.<\/p>\n<p>However, documents obtained by The New York Post indicate that the State Department denies any involvement in funding GDI. A guidance document stated that Elon Musk&#8217;s retweet of Taibbi&#8217;s thread suggested government pressure on Twitter regarding U.S. accounts but claimed evidence was often lacking or misrepresented. The State Department also mentioned that while Kaminsky did not request an interview directly with them; he had sent multiple inquiries about their grant to GDI.<\/p>\n<p>Kaminsky expressed frustration over what he described as missed opportunities by the State Department to respond adequately during his reporting process on their funding activities related to GDI. Additionally, documents referenced comments made by Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), implying he could influence Russian operations due to his stance against federal funding for anti-free speech groups; Banks countered this assertion by stating it was un-American behavior aimed at silencing criticism.<\/p>\n<p>Despite these allegations of censorship within domestic contexts being leveled against them, a spokesperson for the State Department maintained their position: &#8220;The Global Engagement Center does not engage in censorship,&#8221; emphasizing its focus remains on countering foreign disinformation rather than interfering with domestic information flow<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2542,"featured_media":2341977,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/state-department.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[32502,4402,5313,32895,32076],"class_list":["post-2341976","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-biden-administration","tag-congress","tag-journalists","tag-state-department","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/state-department.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2341976","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2542"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2341976"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2341976\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2341977"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2341976"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2341976"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2341976"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}