Democrats, mainstream media outlets, and big tech companies such as Apple Inc. are ramping up their threats and attacks against Elon Musk and the direction in which he's chosen to lead Twitter, namely ending the censorious wokescold habits of its previously leaders. And now, one Republican lawmaker is looking to use Musk's leadership at Twitter to expose the Biden administration's collusion with big tech to protect Democrats and punish conservatives.
Rep. August Pfluger, who represents Texas' 11th Congressional District, sees Musk's takeover of Twitter as more than just a benefit for the platform's users who have already begun to enjoy less censorship on the platform and the reinstatement of popular accounts that had previously been suspended, such as The Babylon Bee and Jordan Peterson. He sees an opportunity to use the new Twitter as a means to expose the Biden administration for its attempts to drive a certain narrative while silencing others as a means of advancing Democrat interests.
In a letter sent to "Chief Twit" Elon Musk on Monday, Pfluger congratulated the new Twitter boss on his successful takeover, and praised "commitment to cultivating Twitter as '...an inclusive arena for free speech.'"
"I know you are determined to take Twitter in a new direction," Pfluger's letter continued. "The American people are relieved at this fresh approach. But Congress must act to ensure Americans' First Amendment rights are not infringed–from big tech or other companies," the GOP lawmaker said. "Central to this discussion is ensuring lawmakers understand the depth of collaboration large social media companies had with government agencies when labeling disinformation," Pfluger explained before making his request for Musk to help lawmakers get a better idea of how such collusion has happened.
"With this is mind, I respectfully ask that you report to Congress on any censorship requests from this Administration, whether from the White House, another cabinet department, or agency that is designed to be independent," Pfluger requested.
"It’s time for Twitter to expose the Biden Administration for pushing for censorship of conservatives and stories that would be harmful to Democrat narratives," Rep. Pfluger told Townhall exclusively. "President Biden’s Department of Homeland Security doesn’t get to define what free speech means, and I look forward to Elon Musk’s report to Congress and continued push to protect the First Amendment Rights of Americans," Pfluger added.
Dear Chief Twit @ElonMusk, how bad has the Biden Administration's censorship been? pic.twitter.com/4bBSQiD2nY
— Rep. August Pfluger (@RepPfluger) November 28, 2022
Rightfully, Pfluger's letter also highlighted the "serious threat to the First Amendment rights of Americans" that "originates not only from zealous government censors, but from social media companies who proactively, and many times incorrectly, label specific viewpoints as misinformation and disinformation."
Pfluger invoked recent revelations, which Townhall reported on here, that Twitter's previous leadership built "deep ties and collaborations with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on the policing of speech." The Texas Republican added that such revelations are not "just a recent trend" but were also seen when "unelected bureaucrats worked to undermine legitimate news in partnership with social media companies to suppress a New York Post article regarding Hunter Biden prior to the 2020 election. This active collaboration with would-be arbiters of truth in the government continues to build on Twitter's history of serious lapses in judgement related to the policing of speech, protection of user data, and even in international affairs given the company potentially allowed the infiltration of foreign operatives into the form," Pfluger warned.
Speaking of Musk's work to turn things around at Twitter, Pfluger said "the American people are relieved at this fresh approach" to running Twitter and added he is "hopeful that you will be successful in this endeavor."