The panel wants to probe the way the federal government works with technology companies to flag postings that contain false information or downright lies.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy took a similar view, saying he did not want to censor Kennedy. “It was written for the speech that nobody likes you for.”Īn organization that Kennedy founded, Children’s Health Defense, currently has a lawsuit pending against a number of news organizations, among them The Associated Press, accusing them of violating antitrust laws by taking action to identify misinformation, including about COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines.Īhead of the hearing, Jordan said that while he disagreed with Kennedy’s remarks, he was not about to drop him from the panel. “The First Amendment was not written for easy speech,” Kennedy said. Growing animated at times, Kennedy defended his statements, which have delved into race, vaccine safety and other issues, as neither “racist or antisemitic.” He said his family has long believed in the First Amendment right to free speech. Kennedy and the nephew of President John F. “This is an attempt to censor a censorship hearing,” said Kennedy, the son of Robert F. In opening remarks, Kennedy invoked his famous family’s legacy in decrying the complaints of racism and antisemitism against him. Democrats argued that free speech comes with responsibilities not to spread misinformation, particularly when it fans violence.

The Republican-led Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government is amplifying GOP claims that conservatives and others are being unfairly targeted by technology companies that routinely work with the government to try to stem the spread of disinformation online.

worked to defend himself Thursday against accusations that he traffics in racist and hateful online conspiracy theories, testifying at a House hearing on government censorship despite requests from outside groups to disinvite the Democratic presidential candidate after his recent antisemitic remarks.

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