The election’s less than a month away. This has everyone looking for an advantage.
But Congress is accusing Joe Biden of this criminal election activity.
Senators Demand CISA to Clarify Censorship Practices Ahead of 2024 Election
Republican Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas has called on the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to clarify its stance on political censorship practices that came to light during the 2020 election. In a letter sent on Tuesday, Marshall, along with Republican Senators Eric Schmitt of Missouri and Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, urged CISA Director Jen Easterly to reassess the agency’s previous handling of Americans’ speech to prevent future conflicts with the First Amendment.
The senators’ letter, obtained first by reporters with the Daily Caller, highlights concerns that CISA collaborated with the Election Integrity Partnership (EIP) to pressure social media platforms into censoring political discourse. Marshall criticized these actions, stating, “CISA has previously been caught pressuring social media and internet platforms to censor content, blatantly violating the First Amendment. Any effort by the Harris-Biden administration to silence facts and opinions about their failed agenda is not only an abuse of power—it’s illegal.”
As the 2024 presidential campaign approaches, Marshall emphasized the need to safeguard free speech, asserting that there should be no government attempts to suppress online platforms’ content.
CISA’s role during the 2020 election involved flagging “disinformation” through a process known as “switchboarding,” as detailed in a June 2023 report from the House Judiciary Committee.
The agency also set up “portals” to report misinformation, which critics argue circumvented the First Amendment protections against government-induced censorship. Further complicating matters, emails released by the committee revealed communications among CISA officials that directed the censorship of specific content.
The senators’ letter reinforces the legal principles surrounding free speech, noting that “the First Amendment prohibits the government from ‘abridging freedom of speech’ and the Supreme Court has recognized that for ‘core political speech’ ‘the importance of First Amendment protections is at its zenith.’” It highlights that in the digital age, core political speech often occurs on social media platforms, and CISA’s previous actions have undermined public trust in the agency.
Any effort by the Harris-Biden admin to silence facts & opinions about their failed agenda is not only an abuse of power—it’s illegal.
As we enter the final stretch before the election, we are fighting to ensure there are no attempts by the federal gov to censor and strong-arm… https://t.co/wsHJoSueVg
— Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) October 8, 2024
To restore confidence, Marshall and his colleagues have requested confirmation from Easterly that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and CISA will no longer engage in switchboarding or censorship practices. They also seek assurance that the agency has ceased communications with social media platforms, universities, or for-profit entities concerning content moderation.
“If we are to restore and maintain trust in our elections for all Americans, the time to act is now,” the letter concludes, highlighting the urgency of the issue as the 2024 election cycle heats up.
The Dangerous Alliance: Government and Big Tech Suppression of Free Speech
In an alarming revelation, the New York Post’s article detailing Hunter Biden’s laptop has highlighted a troubling alliance between government entities and major tech platforms, posing a significant threat to free speech and democratic principles. This collaboration raises serious concerns about the power dynamics at play and the lengths to which authorities will go to suppress dissenting voices.
The suppression of the Post’s story, which surfaced in the lead-up to the 2020 election, is not just an isolated incident; it exemplifies a broader trend of censorship facilitated by big tech under the guise of misinformation. The government’s involvement in pressuring platforms like Twitter (now known as X) and Facebook to stifle certain narratives underscores an alarming overreach. It raises questions about who controls the narrative and whether the truth can genuinely be told in a landscape dominated by powerful interests.
When government officials actively collaborate with private corporations to silence information that could be politically damaging, it undermines the very foundations of our democracy. The ability of the electorate to access unfiltered information is crucial for informed decision-making. Yet, in this case, a politically sensitive story was effectively buried, demonstrating a clear bias and a manipulation of public discourse.
This collusion poses a dangerous precedent. It invites further encroachments on our rights, as the lines between public and private censorship blur. If citizens cannot trust that their access to information is safeguarded against such collusion, we risk entering an era where dissent is stifled and government narratives reign unchallenged.
The suppression of the Hunter Biden story served as a wake-up call: we must demand transparency and accountability from both our government and the tech giants that influence our public discourse.
That "Doug Emhoff beating his ex-wife" story disappeared so fast, you'd think he hit her with Hunter Biden's laptop.
— Tony Kinnett (@TheTonus) October 7, 2024
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
