Senate Republicans Want to Subpoena Twitter CEO Over Blocked Biden StoryThe company said the 'NY Post' article violated its rules on doxxing and hacked materials.
ByKris Holt•
This story originally appeared onEngadget
The Senate Judiciary Committee willvote next weekon whether to subpoena Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey afterthe company blocked aNew York Poststory on Joe Biden. Twitter said the article violated its rules on doxxing and hacked materials, as it contained images with "personal and private information — like email addresses and phone numbers." Facebook also limited the spread of the report.
Sen.@tedcruz: "Twitter is actively blocking, right now this instant, stories from the New York Post...on Tuesday, the Judiciary Committee, the full committee, will be voting on subpoenas to subpoena@JackDorsey to come before our committee."pic.twitter.com/lfpEcH8xeQ
— CSPAN (@cspan)October 15, 2020
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who accused Twitter and Facebook of "actively interfering in this election," told reporters the committee will decide on Tuesday if it will subpoena Dorsey. Committee member Cruz also sent a letter to the Twitter CEO demanding answers over the company's decision.
My letter to@jackregarding@Twitter's censorship of the@nypost.pic.twitter.com/o3Ebkbqait
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz)October 14, 2020
House Judiciary Committee Republicans and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) haverepublishedthe story on their websites. They're hoping toshare it more broadlyand skirt Twitter's block on links to thePost's version.
The publication described the report as a "smoking gun" that contained images of emails allegedly obtained from the laptop of Hunter Biden, Biden's son. Experts have called into question the authenticity of the emails, and Biden's campaignhas deniedsome of the allegations laid out in the story.
Related:Twitter Suspends Fake Accounts That Claim to Be Black Trump Supporters
The situation has led torenewed callsto revoke protections that internet platforms have underSection 230of the Communications Decency Act. Dorsey, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Google and Alphabet chief executive Sundar Pichaiwill testifybefore the Senate Commerce Committeeon that issueon October 28.
