Oversight Republicans Again Demand Emergency Hearing on Big Tech Censorship
WASHINGTON—House Committee on Oversight and Reform Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.) and Oversight Republicans today called on Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) again to hold an emergency hearing regarding Big Tech’s censorship after both Hunter Biden and the Biden-Harris Transition Team acknowledged that Hunter Biden is under federal investigation regarding his taxes. In October, days before the November 3, 2020 election, an article by the New York Post released information about Hunter Biden’s lucrative foreign business dealings that raise potential conflicts of interest, but Facebook and Twitter censored it and Twitter even locked the Post’s account.
“As Hunter Biden admitted last week, he is under federal investigation regarding his taxes, potentially related in part to the very matters the New York Post reported, yet for which it was censored … Big Tech’s effort to selectively limit speech based on political affiliation is a disturbing patten of censorship in our nation—a nation that holds out the First Amendment’s right to freedom of speech and freedom of the press as two of our most paramount freedoms. As Big Tech platforms continue to limit speech based on political ideology, we must immediately hold a hearing to learn who are responsible for making these decisions and what policies enable Big Tech to selectively limit and/or censor speech on social media,” wrote the Republican Members.
In October, all Oversight Republicans called on Chairwoman Maloney to hold an emergency hearing on Big Tech’s censorship of certain news and conservative views but she refused to hold a hearing.
Joining Ranking Member Comer in sending today’s letter are Representatives Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Jody Hice (R-Ga.), Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.), Gary Palmer (R-Ala.), Michael Cloud (R-Texas), Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio), Clay Higgins (R-La.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Chip Roy (R-Texas), Carol Miller (R-W.Va.), Mark Green (R-Tenn.), Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.), Greg Steube (R-Fla.), and Fred Keller (R-Pa.).
The full letter is available here and below.
December 15, 2020
The Honorable Carolyn Maloney
Chairwoman
Committee on Oversight and Reform
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Madam Chairwoman:
On October 15, 2020, we requested you hold an emergency hearing on Big Tech’s repeated efforts to interfere in the 2020 election. At that time—just days before the November 3, 2020 presidential election—Facebook and Twitter censored a news article about Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, regarding his Ukrainian business dealings while his father was Vice President. These Big Tech companies both limited and/or denied distribution of the New York Post’s report, and Twitter locked the New York Post’s account.
Last week, both Hunter Biden and the Biden-Harris Transition Team acknowledged Hunter Biden is under federal investigation for his “tax affairs.” Reporting indicates this investigation is related to his overseas business dealings. In light of Hunter Biden’s admission that he is under investigation, especially after Big Tech’s unjustifiable censorship of the New York Post’s report, we are renewing our hearing request. Big Tech’s silencing of viewpoints and censorship of news undermines our electoral process, our institutions, and our U.S. Constitution.
As we explained in our October 15 letter, shortly after the New York Post posted its story on Facebook the company “reduc[ed] its distribution” in an apparent attempt to limit access to the story. Just as concerning, Facebook reportedly refused to answer basic questions about its decision. Twitter also censored the article and warned users that it is “potentially spammy or unsafe,” and locked the New York Post’s Twitter account.
As Hunter Biden admitted last week, he is under federal investigation regarding his taxes, potentially related in part to the very matters the New York Post reported, yet for which it was censored. Indeed, additional reporting from NBC News refers to a 2017 email to Hunter Biden regarding his income from Burisma and “need to amend” Biden’s 2014 tax returns to reflect the “unreported” income. An NBC spokesperson did not dispute the authenticity of the email, which came from a laptop dropped off at a computer hardware store in Delaware—the same laptop and same computer hardware store discussed in the New York Post’s October 14 article censored by Big Tech for being “potentially spammy or unsafe.” Big Tech’s effort to selectively limit speech based on political affiliation is a disturbing patten of censorship in our nation—a nation that holds out the First Amendment’s right to freedom of speech and freedom of the press as two of our most paramount freedoms.
As Big Tech platforms continue to limit speech based on political ideology, we must immediately hold a hearing to learn who are responsible for making these decisions and what policies enable Big Tech to selectively limit and/or censor speech on social media. We reiterate our request the Committee hold an emergency hearing on this important matter as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
James Comer, Ranking Member, Committee on Oversight and Reform
Jody Hice, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Government Operations
Glenn S. Grothman, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on National Security
Michael Cloud, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy
Chip Roy, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Mark E. Green, M.D., Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Environment
Jim Jordan
Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S.
Virginia A. Foxx
Thomas H. Massie
Gary Palmer
Bob Gibbs
Clay Higgins
Ralph W. Norman
Carol D. Miller
Kelly M. Armstrong
Gregory Steube
Fred B. Keller