Biden Admin's 'Vast Censorship Enterprise' Under Scrutiny in Key Senate Hearing

FIRST ON FOX: The Biden administration's alleged role in censoring Americans' speech through collaboration with NGOs is set to be the focus of a critical Senate hearing this Tuesday. Senator Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., who chairs the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, has slammed what he calls a "sprawling network" of federal agencies and organizations working to suppress "disfavored" speech.

"The Biden Administration created a vast censorship enterprise, comprised of a sprawling network of federal agencies and NGOs that have been working overtime to censor Americans’ speech," Schmitt said in a statement. He highlighted efforts like special reporting portals and White House directives to flag posts for removal, describing the coordination as "beyond what most imagined."

The upcoming hearing will examine the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in this alleged censorship and their use of billions in federal tax dollars and subsidies, according to an advisory.

Schmitt, who previously served as Missouri Attorney General, has been vocal on this issue. In 2022, he and now-Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry filed a lawsuit accusing the Biden administration of colluding with social media companies to stifle speech. "When I was Missouri’s attorney general, I filed the landmark Missouri v. Biden case that exposed this censorship for the world to see," Schmitt noted. As a senator, he has introduced legislation aimed at holding both social media companies and government officials accountable for censorship.

The controversy also touches on legal battles, including a 2023 ruling by U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty that upheld an injunction barring the Biden administration from communicating with social media platforms about "protected speech." The injunction implicated NGOs like Stanford Internet Observatory and the Election Integrity Partnership in flagging content for suppression, often targeting conservative viewpoints.

Schmitt sees Tuesday's hearing as a chance to shed light on how NGOs have contributed to what he describes as a "vast censorship enterprise." He aims to continue advocating for Americans' First Amendment rights.

The case has even reached the Supreme Court. In a 6-3 decision, the court rejected a bid to halt the administration's efforts to pressure social media platforms to remove content. Critics of the decision, including Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya, a nominee for NIH director, argue that these actions stifled valid dissent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bhattacharya stated, "Free speech is essential to science, to public health, and to good health." He called for congressional action and a popular movement to restore free speech rights.

Further scrutiny has come from a House Judiciary Committee report titled "The Censorship-industrial Complex." The 800-page document detailed instances of COVID-19-related censorship following pressure from the White House. Internal emails from Facebook revealed the administration's push to remove "negative information on or opinions about the vaccine," even targeting humorous or satirical content.

One particularly striking exchange involved Facebook executive Nick Clegg questioning why the company had censored the lab-leak theory of COVID-19. The response? "Because we were under pressure from the [Biden] administration and others to do more.... We shouldn’t have done it."

While the Biden administration has yet to comment, the hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Brace yourselves; this one’s going to be a political firework show.