House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) sent a subpoena Thursday to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) demanding documents and information related to the Committee’s and its Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government’s investigation on big tech.
The Daily Caller obtained a copy of the subpoena, which was sent to Avril Haines, the Director of National Intelligence. The subpoena states Haines is to provide the committee with documents and information by Feb. 9, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. ODNI has not produced a single document in response to the Committee’s request despite numerous efforts.
In a letter to Haines, Jordan says the Weaponization of the Federal Government and other reports show how the federal government has been working with big tech and other companies to censor specific viewpoints on social media, undermining the First Amendment.
“The Committee on the Judiciary (Committee) is conducting oversight of how and to what extent the Executive Branch has coerced and colluded with companies and other intermediaries to censor speech. To develop effective legislation, such as the possible enactment of new statutory limits on the Executive Branch’s ability to work with social media platforms and other companies to restrict the circulation of content and deplatform users, the Committee must first understand the nature of this collusion and coercion,” Jordan wrote.
“To this end, we have asked for communications between the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), private companies, and other third-party groups such as nonprofit organizations, in addition to other information. Your response without compulsory process has, to date, been woefully inadequate,” he continued. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: House Republicans Threaten To Subpoena Jack Smith)
READ THE COVER LETTER HERE:
(DAILY CALLER OBTAINED) — … by Henry Rodgers
“The investigative work performed by the Committee and its Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, along with other publicly available information, have revealed how the federal government has pressured and colluded with Big Tech and other intermediaries to censor certain viewpoints on social media in ways that undermine First Amendment principles,” Jordan added. “The First Amendment prohibits government officials from imposing viewpoint-based restrictions on speech. State action doctrine prohibits government officials from circumventing constitutional strictures by using private actors — whether through coercion encouragement, entwinement, or joint participation — to accomplish what the government cannot directly.” (RELATED: House Republicans Announce Next Steps Towards Holding Hunter Biden In Contempt Of Congress)
In November, Jordan also opened an investigation into the Director of National Intelligence for allegedly obstructing Republican Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley and Republican Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson during their investigation of President Joe Biden’s family’s foreign business dealings.