{"id":2343088,"date":"2024-09-18T19:09:02","date_gmt":"2024-09-18T23:09:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/state-departments-response-amid-questions-over-censorship-funding-is-ironic-gabe-kaminsky-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-09-18T19:10:13","modified_gmt":"2024-09-18T23:10:13","slug":"state-departments-response-amid-questions-over-censorship-funding-is-ironic-gabe-kaminsky-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/state-departments-response-amid-questions-over-censorship-funding-is-ironic-gabe-kaminsky-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"State Department\u2019s response amid questions over censorship funding is \u2018ironic\u2019: Gabe Kaminsky &#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\">30<\/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%2Fstate-departments-response-amid-questions-over-censorship-funding-is-ironic-gabe-kaminsky-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=2343088&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>Gabe Kaminsky,\u200c an\u200c <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/george-blake-last-in-line-of-cold-war-spies-who-betrayed-britain-dies-at-98\/\" title=\"George Blake, last in line of Cold War spies who betrayed Britain, dies at 98\">investigative journalist<\/a> \u2063for the Washington Examiner, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rep-turner-says-bidens-iran-policies-threaten-mideast-peace\/\" title=\"Rep. Turner says Biden\u2019s Iran policies threaten Mideast peace\">recently criticized<\/a> the State Department&#8217;s response to inquiries about its Global Engagement Center (GEC) funding, describing the situation as &#8220;ironic.&#8221; He discussed this during an appearance\u200b on \u2064Unherd&#8217;s podcast with Matt Taibbi, where they explored the GEC&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/they-made-up-quotes-wapo-ripped-for-reporting-fraudulent-trump-quotes-on-call-with-ga-investigator\/\" title=\"\u2018They Made Up Quotes\u2019: WaPo Ripped For Reporting Fraudulent Trump Quotes On Call With GA Investigator\">alleged efforts<\/a> to influence social media platforms like \u2062X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook to limit \u200cthe spread of\u200c certain\u2063 information, particularly related to \u2064COVID-19. Kaminsky noted that the \u2064GEC had awarded \u2062a $100,000 grant to the \u200cGlobal Disinformation Index, an organization that reportedly \u200ccreated\u200b 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> to hinder \u2064their advertising opportunities. Although the\u2062 State Department claims \u2064it was \u200cnot involved in funding the GDI nor requested an interview, Kaminsky highlighted the contradictory nature\u200b of their\u2063 statements regarding transparency and communication.  <\/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\">State Department&rsquo;s response amid questions over censorship funding is &lsquo;ironic&rsquo;: Gabe Kaminsky<\/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_1763580\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><em>Washington Examiner <\/em>investigative journalist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/author\/gabe-kaminsky\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Gabe Kaminsky<\/a> called the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/state-department\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>State Department<\/a>&rsquo;s response regarding its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3155991\/biden-administration-denies-targeting-journalists-congress-member-critical-state-department\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>lack of communication<\/a> amid being asked for information regarding Global Engagement Center funding &ldquo;ironic.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Kaminsky joined Matt Taibbi, author behind the&nbsp;<em>Twitter Files <\/em>on Unherd&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/unherd\/status\/1836450177332170908?s=46\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><em>Undercurrents<\/em><\/a>  podcast Wednesday. Kaminsky and Taibbi discussed their efforts to bring to light examples of the State Department&rsquo;s GEC being linked to apparent censorship.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Taibbi has reported that the GEC was pressuring social media platforms, 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>&nbsp;COVID-19<\/a>. Meanwhile, the&nbsp;<em>Washington Examiner<\/em>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/finance\/2773271\/disinformation-inc-state-department-bankrolls-group-secretly-blacklisting-conservative-media\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>reported<\/a> on the GEC awarding 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 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-administration-denies-targeting-journalists-and-member-of-congress-critical-of-state-department-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Biden administration denies targeting journalists and member of Congress critical of State Department - Washington Examiner\">libertarian-leaning opinion sections<\/a> in an effort to blackball them from top advertisers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">  https:\/\/twitter.com\/unherd\/status\/1836450177332170908?s=46 <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The State Department has since said it had no part in funding the GDI, nor was it asked for an interview.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There&rsquo;s an ironic nature of that line, &lsquo;he did not ask for an interview,&rsquo; because right before it, it says, &lsquo;Gabe Kaminsky sent repeated questions to the State Department. He did not ask for an interview,&rsquo;&rdquo; Kaminsky said. &ldquo;They didn&rsquo;t answer a lot of my repeated questions. I asked a lot &mdash; over roughly 12 emails in January and February. I asked really basic questions that anyone should be able to get from their government.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;They didn&rsquo;t answer a lot of questions I had asked about that funding,&rdquo; Kaminsky added.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The State Department is denying any involvement in censoring people in the United States.<\/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 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3155991\/biden-administration-denies-targeting-journalists-congress-member-critical-state-department\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>said<\/a>. &ldquo;The bottom line remains the same: the Global Engagement Center does not engage in censorship, and it is focused on countering foreign disinformation overseas, 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_1763580\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1763580\"}});<\/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>Gabe Kaminsky, an investigative journalist for the Washington Examiner, described the State Department&#8217;s reaction to inquiries about its funding of the Global Engagement Center (GEC) as &#8220;ironic.&#8221; During a discussion on Unherd\u2019s Undercurrents podcast with Matt Taibbi, known for his work on the Twitter Files, they examined instances where the GEC appeared to be involved in censorship. Taibbi reported that the GEC pressured social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook to limit posts related to COVID-19. Additionally, it was revealed that in 2021, the GEC provided a $100,000 grant to the London-based Global Disinformation Index (GDI), which subsequently created a list of ten media outlets with conservative or libertarian viewpoints in an attempt to exclude them from major advertisers.<\/p>\n<p>The State Department has stated that it did not fund the GDI and claimed it was not approached for an interview. Kaminsky pointed out the contradiction in their statement about not being asked for an interview when he had sent multiple inquiries: \u201cThere\u2019s an ironic nature of that line&#8230; because right before it says&#8230; \u2018he did not ask for an interview,\u2019\u201d he noted. He mentioned sending over twelve emails with basic questions regarding funding but received few answers.<\/p>\n<p>In response to allegations of censorship within the U.S., a spokesperson from the State Department asserted that they have been responsive to numerous reporters and congressional requests. They emphasized that &#8220;the Global Engagement Center does not engage in censorship&#8221; and is focused solely on combating foreign disinformation abroad rather than influencing domestic information<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2689,"featured_media":2343089,"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\/09\/united-states-state-department.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[41184,32081,32895,32076],"class_list":["post-2343088","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-censorship-funding","tag-gabe-kaminsky","tag-state-department","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/united-states-state-department.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2343088","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\/2689"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2343088"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2343088\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2343089"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2343088"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2343088"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2343088"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}