House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) issued subpoenas to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland of the Department of Justice (DOJ) related to the Committee’s ongoing censorship investigation.
Jordan wants communications between the FBI and DOJ, private companies, and other third-party groups related to content moderation and the suppression of disfavored speech online.
Jordan specifically asked for all documents related to the moderation, suppression, or removal of content online, and imposed a Sept. 15th deadline for the agencies to comply.
Jordan said the Committee wrote to the FBI and DOJ requesting voluntary cooperation with oversight, and to date, their compliance has been woefully inadequate, producing only a single document: a publicly available transcript of a civil deposition of FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Elvis Chan from Missouri v. Biden.
Jordan said the Committee has uncovered evidence that contradicts several statements in Agent Chan’s deposition, particularly as they relate to his communications with social media platforms.
Jordan wrote:
“On April 18, the Committee wrote to you seeking your voluntary cooperation with our oversight. Among other things, we asked for communications between FBI employees and private companies, internal communications, and communications between the FBI and other third parties discussing content moderation.
“To date, the FBI has produced only a single document: a publicly available transcript of a civil deposition of Federal Bureau of Investigation Assistant Special Agent in Charge Elvis Chan from Missouri v. Biden.
“Through its investigation, the Committee has uncovered evidence that contradicts several statements in Agent Chan’s deposition, particularly as they relate to his communications with social media platforms.
“This production is woefully inadequate and omits voluminous responsive material, including communications between FBI and tech companies, internal communications, and communications between FBI and other executive branch entities.
“In other words, a federal judge has found that the communications of various executive branch entities with social media platforms, including the Department of Justice, very likely violated Americans’ First Amendment rights.
“Yet you have produced nothing of substance in response to the Committee’s request, which hinders the Committee’s ability to fulfill its constitutional oversight obligations.
“The Committee has engaged with the FBI in identifying the Committee’s highest priority documents and information in both letters to you and during calls with Committee staff,” Jordan said.
#BREAKING: Chairman @Jim_Jordan subpoenas FBI and DOJ in Censorship Investigation Over Big Tech Collusion
📍Read the subpoena cover letter to Garland here: https://t.co/5UmJs8Ob7H
📍Read the subpoena cover letter to Wray here:https://t.co/26XLuemk9v pic.twitter.com/0rs1qmBhhc
— House Judiciary GOP 🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryGOP) August 17, 2023
