Thursday's hearing to "examine the federal government's role in censoring Americans, the Missouri v. Biden case, and Big Tech's collusion with out-of-control government agencies to silence speech" held by the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government allowed Americans and lawmakers to learn more about how the administrative state has attempted to make end runs around the Constitution to chill or outright censor the free expression of Americans.
As usual, Democrats attempted to stage a sideshow to distract from actual topic of the hearing: big tech censorship of ideas, people, and expression that runs opposite the orthodoxy set by Democrats and leftist activists.
Those actions — if carried out directly by the government — would constitute a violation of Americans' First Amendment rights, hence the scrutiny of how involved the government has been in such efforts to police speech.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., journalist Emma-Jo Morris, and Special Assistant Attorney General D. John Sauer from the Louisiana Department of Justice were invited to testify by the Republican majority while Democrats invited Maya Wiley who previously worked as counsel for then-New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
In no particular order, here are seven moments that caught our eye during the hours-long hearing.
When Ranking Member Stacey Plaskett (D-VI) denied that the First Amendment actually protects free expression.
How Rep. @StaceyPlaskett opened today's House Judiciary Committee hearing on censorship:
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 20, 2023
"Free speech is not an absolute...hateful, abusive rhetoric does not need to be promoted in the halls of People's House." pic.twitter.com/uyNRKZUBr1
When Morris enjoyed a justified laugh as she recalled the concerted attempt to dispel Hunter Biden's laptop from hell concocted by former intelligence officials.
Remember when Politico ran with a "story" about how "foreign intel officials" were all convinced that the Hunter Biden laptop story was "Russian disinformation?"@EmmaJoNYC does.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 20, 2023
It still sounds ridiculous when you say it out loud.
😂 pic.twitter.com/zMdRetoCpI
When Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) tried to argue that Chairman Jim Jordan had censored her constituents because she forgot to go vote during the hearing.
Democrat Rep. Sylvia Garcia claims that Rep. Jim Jordan is censoring her constituents because she missed two votes on the House floor. pic.twitter.com/wAabGtz3qq
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 20, 2023
When the Democrats' witness got tripped up by a question from Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT) and refused to say whether she trusted the government to decide what information Americans have access to.
Republican Rep. Stewart: "Do you trust the government to determine what facts and view the American people are exposed to?
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 20, 2023
Maya Wiley: "I am not aware of any action of the government that tells the American public what facts they should be exposed to."
Rep. Stewart: "You're not… pic.twitter.com/GXGZ8MGPX6
When RFK Jr. responded to Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) remarks about him.
RFK Jr. ERUPTS at Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz who continues to attack him:
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 20, 2023
"You're slandering me incorrectly! What you're saying is dishonest!" pic.twitter.com/Jgqpfg9SPE
When Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) forced the Democrats' witness to defend statements smearing Israel as "racist."
REP. KAT CAMMACK: "Five days ago Democrat Representative Pramila Jayapal stated that she has been 'fighting to make it clear that Israel is a racist state.' Yes or no, do you believe that statement to be anti-Semitic?"
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 20, 2023
MAYA WILEY: "Uh, I—I believe that there is a distinction… pic.twitter.com/R27L3aTLIK
When Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) claimed the hearing about government and big tech working together to censor Americans was "literally" putting lives at risk.
Maya Wiley claims that social media algorithms haven't suppressed what she calls "right-wing and extremist speech," but has actually "elevated them."
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 20, 2023
Democrat Rep. Garcia agrees, and says that "this hearing, really, is literally putting even more lives at risk." pic.twitter.com/A6Z4XDtrDQ
There's a reason Democrat members of Congress — and the witnesses they invite — have made fools of themselves in hearings since Republicans took over: the House GOP is proving incredibly effective at conducting federal oversight, reviewing Biden administration policies, and exposing Democrat inanity.
If Democrats had strong arguments, reasonable explanations, and the facts on their side, they wouldn't need to resort to creating mayhem. But they don't, so we have gotten and will no doubt keep getting more fiery hearings, especially as Democrats get more desperate to protect Biden as the 2024 election cycle heats up.