3 weeks ago
Rep Jim Jordan grills Biden staffer during hearing
Lawmakers mobility Robert Flaherty, a apical Biden run staffer who formerly worked astatine nan White House, aft saying he wasn't alert of "any adverse authorities actions" against Elon Musk aft taking complete Twitter.
Lawmakers grilled a apical staffer connected President Biden's 2024 run for his "astounding" declare that Elon Musk did not look "any adverse authorities actions" successful consequence to changing nan outlet's censorship policies.
Robert Flaherty, lawman run head for Biden's re-election campaign, was pressed by Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, connected his remark astir Musk arsenic good arsenic his reported activity pinch Facebook to play referee connected rhetoric regarding nan COVID-19 pandemic connected societal media.
In his opening statement, Flaherty said, "Twitter's caller proprietor abandoned each its anterior policies related to COVID misinformation complete a twelvemonth and a half ago. That determination was Twitter's to make, and I'm not alert of immoderate adverse actions against Twitter successful consequence to it."
Jordan pressed Flaherty connected his statement, calling it "one of nan astir ridiculous things I've heard."
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Robert Flaherty testifies earlier nan House Judiciary Committee connected May 1, 2024. (House Judiciary Committee)
"Eight different national agencies person went aft Elon Musk and Twitter since that happened," Jordan said. "And you said successful your grounds that Twitter's caller proprietor – I'm not alert of immoderate adverse actions against Twitter successful consequence to it – possibly virtually 1 of nan astir ridiculous things I've heard. Every agency you tin ideate went aft this feline because he's advocating for free reside and nan First Amendment."
Flaherty responded that he stood by his first connection astir Musk.
Jordan pressed nan Biden staffer respective times, asking him to supply nan meaning of misinformation and why definite mandates were pushed by nan administration.
"You weren't a aesculapian expert, but you could propose to Facebook that they needed to alteration their algorithm truthful that nan American group would not spot worldly from nan Daily Wire. They'd only spot worldly from nan New York Times. You tin do that. But you can't show maine if they were guessing aliases lying erstwhile they said thing that was perfectly not true," Jordan asked during a House Judiciary Committee proceeding connected nan "Weaponization of nan Federal Government" connected Wednesday.
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Flaherty responded that he "can't speak to nan discussions that were had connected that topic. It's been a mates of years."
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, shared what he called "smoking-gun documents" that he said beryllium Facebook censored Americans connected behalf of nan Biden administration. (Reuters Photos)
Flaherty played a salient domiciled successful moving pinch Facebook connected behalf of nan Biden White House regarding nan communicative connected societal media arsenic it related to COVID-19, according to Facebook files reviewed by Fox successful 2023.
The files showed conversations betwixt Flaherty and Facebook officials successful which nan Biden staffer suggested nan tech institution "pay attention" to definite types of conversations, specifically those that expressed hesitancy astir nan COVID-19 vaccine and its imaginable broadside effects.
"Since it’s a world pandemic, tin we springiness agencies entree to targeting parameters that they usually wouldn’t beryllium capable to?" nan then-White House charismatic said successful a conversation.
Robert Flaherty has worked successful respective different roles for President Biden complete nan years. (Kevin Lamarque/File)
Flaherty worked arsenic nan "Biden for President" integer head from 2019 done November 2020, transitioning into his White House domiciled arsenic adjunct to nan president and head of integer strategy until joining nan president's re-election run again successful 2023.
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The Biden administration's speculated engagement pinch societal media censorship was precocious brought to nan Supreme Court successful Murthy v. Missouri, a lawsuit charging nan Biden management pinch colluding pinch Big Tech companies to antagonistic definite information. A determination connected nan lawsuit is expected successful nan summer.
Fox News' Hillary Vaughn contributed to this report.
Aubrie Spady is simply a Production Assistant for Fox News Digital.
