The GOP is getting to the bottom of Biden’s blunders.
On the eve of a critical Senate hearing scheduled for Tuesday, Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) sharply criticized President Biden’s extensive use of federal agencies and taxpayer-funded NGOs to allegedly silence conservative voices and suppress free speech.
Biden Administration Accused of Coordinated Censorship Efforts
“President Biden’s administration has established a troubling censorship operation involving a wide-reaching network of government agencies and NGOs, tirelessly working to silence American citizens,” Schmitt stated to Fox News Digital. “We’ve seen special portals created for reporting, White House officials openly admitting they flagged posts for removal—this unprecedented coordination to undermine our First Amendment rights has gone far beyond what most Americans ever imagined.”
Landmark Lawsuit Exposes Government Overreach
Previously, as Missouri Attorney General, Schmitt took action in 2022 alongside now-Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, filing the landmark lawsuit Missouri v. Biden, accusing the Biden administration of illegally collaborating with big tech companies to censor American citizens.
“As Missouri’s attorney general, my lawsuit exposed Biden’s censorship for everyone to see. Now, serving as a U.S. senator, I’ve proposed legislation holding social media giants and federal bureaucrats accountable. But our fight for free speech doesn’t end here,” Schmitt asserted.
Federal Judge Blocks Biden Administration’s Censorship Efforts
Federal Judge Terry Doughty previously rejected the Biden administration’s request to overturn an injunction prohibiting government agencies from directing social media platforms to censor constitutionally protected speech. Judge Doughty specifically highlighted the involvement of NGOs such as Stanford Internet Observatory and the Election Integrity Partnership, who reportedly flagged conservative content for suppression.
According to Doughty’s ruling, the censored content predominantly involved conservative political leaders, media outlets, and influencers, strongly suggesting a deliberate attempt at political viewpoint discrimination.
Supreme Court Decision Draws Conservative Criticism
Despite the significant injunction, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 6-3 against blocking Biden administration efforts to pressure social media platforms in Murthy v. Missouri. The decision drew criticism among conservatives, including Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya, nominee for Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
“Under the guise of fighting misinformation, the Biden administration abused its regulatory authority to silence legitimate criticism of its pandemic policies,” Bhattacharya argued. “This censorship led to harmful policies like prolonged school closures, ignoring natural immunity, harmful mandates, and dismissing injury concerns.”
“Free speech is essential for science, public health, and American liberty,” Bhattacharya emphasized. “Given the Supreme Court’s hesitation to fully defend free speech, we must rely on Congress and a grassroots movement to restore it.”
House Judiciary Report Reveals White House Pressure on Big Tech
Additionally, a comprehensive 800-page House Judiciary Committee report last year detailed how top Biden administration officials pressured Big Tech companies into censoring pandemic information that challenged government narratives. Internal emails from Facebook executives revealed direct administration influence, admitting pressure to censor the theories and even satirical skepticism.
Tuesday’s Senate hearing, beginning at 2 p.m. ET, aims to shed light on the depth of government-NGO collaboration and underscore the urgent need to protect Americans’ First Amendment rights.