Call Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey because House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan is bringing the circus to Congress. Today’s Weaponization Subcommittee hearing will truly be a spectacle.
The first act is Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. who cries censorship despite being part of an American political dynasty, having his presidential race covered by major mainstream news outlets, and getting his books published by Simon & Schuster. Now, RFK Jr. is best known for spewing antisemitic and racist conspiracy theories about Covid-19. He is supported by a super PAC that has ties to MAGA politicians, like Marjorie Taylor Greene and George Santos, and big money donors who are also supporting Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign. RFK, Jr. is also well known for pushing false information about vaccines, but it seems there isn’t a conspiracy theory he doesn’t like, including Russian propaganda. That would explain why he’s praised far-right figures like Tucker Carlson and Project Veritas Founder James O’Keefe and why he’s appeared at conferences that have featured MAGA activists and QAnon conspiracy theorists.
Next is returning performer, D. John Sauer, who has testified to the Weaponization Subcommittee before. In his previous role as Missouri Solicitor General, he had contact with the Rule of Law Defense Fund (RLDF), the dark-money fundraising arm of the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA). The same RLDF that ran a robocall urging “patriots” to march on the Capitol on January 6th and “stop the steal.” Through public records requests, two attorneys discovered that Sauer had registered to attend RLDF’s “senior staff summit,” which an event organizer described as “war games” to discuss strategies if Trump lost the 2020 election. When questioned about this in the previous hearing, Sauer admitted he attended RLDF meetings, but committee Republicans blocked an effort to subpoena records to investigate whether Sauer violated Missouri law prohibiting the use of state resources for political purposes.
Last on the cast list is Breitbart reporter Emma-Jo Morris, who previously worked at the New York Post where she published a story about the contents of a private citizen’s laptop. Jordan surely invited Morris to cry wolf about censorship of conservatives online, ignoring the fact that social media companies actually amplify conservative voices, and cite the debunked poll Republicans rely on to claim the story would have swayed people in the 2020 election. Rep. Eric Swalwell called out the whole farce for what it is and accused Republicans of complaining that they lost the 2020 election not because of policy disagreements or debates, but because more Americans didn’t see the contents of a private citizen’s laptop.
We can’t wait for the next act where Jordan makes Donald Trump’s criminal indictments magically disappear.
Jim Jordan Invited Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Who Spread Dangerous Conspiracy Theories And Cried Wolf About Censorship, To Testify To Congress
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR’S CLAIMS OF CENSORSHIP ARE UNFOUNDED
Intelligencer Reported That Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s Objection To COVID-19 Safety Measures “Stemmed From The Fury Of Normally Powerful People Affronted By The Argument That Their Individual Impulses Put Them On The Wrong Side Of A Moral Question Of Communal Engagement And Compassion.” “Being shunned in any way for ideas that, when it comes to vaccines, are not just about individual choice but about our collective responsibility is perhaps anathema to people raised to assume their voices would be heard and understood as legitimate. Public-health directives during COVID were crude and sometimes wrong — messaging on masking changed repeatedly, masking outdoors now seems silly, the school closures lasted longer than they should have — but the objections made by people like Kennedy were not rooted in special advance scientific knowledge. Rather, they stemmed from the fury of normally powerful people affronted by the argument that their individual impulses put them on the wrong side of a moral question of communal engagement and compassion. It is a dynamic many managed to reframe as their willingness to stand in patriotic challenge to weak-minded, compliant, vaccinated sheep. And it is the type of environment in which men born with immense wealth and power — the kind who casually mention that governors have called and offered them Senate seats that they have turned down — can recast themselves as martyred heroes.” [New York Magazine, Intelligencer, 6/30/23]
- Intelligencer Reported That Robert F. Kennedy Jr Came From “The Type Of Environment In Which Men Born With Immense Wealth And Power — The Kind Who Casually Mention That Governors Have Called And Offered Them Senate Seats That They Have Turned Down — Can Recast Themselves As Martyred Heroes.” Public-health directives during COVID were crude and sometimes wrong — messaging on masking changed repeatedly, masking outdoors now seems silly, the school closures lasted longer than they should have — but the objections made by people like Kennedy were not rooted in special advance scientific knowledge. Rather, they stemmed from the fury of normally powerful people affronted by the argument that their individual impulses put them on the wrong side of a moral question of communal engagement and compassion. It is a dynamic many managed to reframe as their willingness to stand in patriotic challenge to weak-minded, compliant, vaccinated sheep. And it is the type of environment in which men born with immense wealth and power — the kind who casually mention that governors have called and offered them Senate seats that they have turned down — can recast themselves as martyred heroes.” [New York Magazine, Intelligencer, 6/30/23]
- Intelligencer: “It Can Seem As If Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Knows The Father Of Every Powerful Person In America. Perhaps More Important, They Knew His Father And His Uncles And His Grandfathers.” “Over lunch in New Hampshire, I asked Kennedy how his conversation with Republican New Hampshire governor Chris Sununu had gone following his address to the state legislature; Kennedy told me, ‘It was nice. I knew his father’ — who was also governor. It can seem as if Robert F. Kennedy Jr. knows the father of every powerful person in America. Perhaps more important, they knew his father and his uncles and his grandfathers.” [New York Magazine, Intelligencer, 6/30/23]
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Claimed He Lost Hundreds Of Thousands Of Dollars After Being Removed From Social Media, But Federal Tax Filings From His Organization Showed The Opposite
Robert F. Kennedy Jr Claimed His And His Organization’s Removal From Instagram And Facebook Cost Him Hundreds Of Thousands Of Dollars In Donations, But Federal Tax Filings Showed Donations To This Group Increased More Than Fivefold From 2019 To 2021. “In 2021, he was named one of the top spreaders of misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines on social media. He was kicked off Instagram, along with his organization, Children’s Health Defense, which was also removed from Facebook (Instagram reinstated Kennedy after he announced his presidential bid). He told NPR that year that the social media bans had cost him ‘hundreds of thousands of dollars’ in donations. But federal tax filings show otherwise: Children’s Health Defense’s revenue surged during the pandemic, from $3 million in 2019 to $7 million in 2020 to $16 million in 2021.” [NPR, 7/13/23]
Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s Presidential Campaign Has Been Covered By Big Mainstream Media Outlets
Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s Presidential Campaign Has Been Covered By Mainstream Media Outlets, Like The Washington Post, New York Times, TIME Magazine And The Atlantic. “One of the keys to Kennedy’s appeal with a certain segment of the population is his view of himself as an outcast and victim. When his inaugural campaign speech went long, he joked with the crowd, ‘This is what happens when you censor somebody for 18 years.’ He was in fact banned from Instagram during the depths of the pandemic, though his account has since been reinstated. Still, reality doesn’t match up with his self-depiction as a rejected outsider. To date, his campaign has been covered at length in profiles in Time, the Washington Post, the New York Times, The Atlantic, and now this magazine. His books are distributed by Simon & Schuster, and he has promoted those books on Bill Maher’s show and Fox News.” [New York Magazine, Intelligencer, 6/30/23]
Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s Books Are Distributed By Simon And Schuster
Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s Books Are Distributed By Simon & Schuster And He Promoted The Books On Bill Maher’s Show And Fox News. “He was in fact banned from Instagram during the depths of the pandemic, though his account has since been reinstated. Still, reality doesn’t match up with his self-depiction as a rejected outsider. To date, his campaign has been covered at length in profiles in Time, the Washington Post, the New York Times, The Atlantic, and now this magazine. His books are distributed by Simon & Schuster, and he has promoted those books on Bill Maher’s show and Fox News.” [New York Magazine, Intelligencer, 6/30/23]
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. SPREADS ANTISEMITIC AND RACIST CONSPIRACY THEORIES
Robert F. Kennedy Jr Claimed COVID-19 Was Targeted To Attack Caucasians And Black People While Sparing Chinese People And Ashkenazi Jews
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Alleged That COVID-19 Was Targeted To Attack Caucasians And Black People And To Spare Chinese People And Ashkenazi Jews. “Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is facing widespread criticism from political leaders and civil rights organizations after a video surfaced of him making false claims that COVID-19 was ‘ethnically targeted’ to attack certain ethnic groups while sparing Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people — a conspiracy theory that drew accusations of antisemitism and racism. ‘COVID-19. There is an argument that it is ethnically targeted. COVID-19 attacks certain races disproportionately,’ Kennedy said at a recent dinner in New York City. The remarks were videotaped and first published by the New York Post on Saturday. ‘COVID-19 is targeted to attack Caucasians and Black people. The people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese,’ he continued, adding, ‘We don’t know whether it was deliberately targeted or not but there are papers out there that show the racial or ethnic differential and impact.’” [CBS News, 7/17/23]
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr Linked To A Study That He Claimed Showed Certain Properties Of COVID-19 Made Chinese People, Finnish People, And Ashkenazi Jews Less Susceptible To The Virus, Which The Scientists Strongly Refuted. “But that message repeated most of the same false theories Kennedy was heard sharing in the video, including one that mirrors debunked Russian propaganda linked to the war in Ukraine, which claims the U.S. is ‘developing ethnically targeted bioweapons.’ Kennedy also linked to a scientific study from July 2020 that, he claimed, showed how certain properties of the virus made ‘ethnic Chinese, Finns and Ashkenazi Jews’ less susceptible to it than Black or Caucasian people. Scientists went on to discredit his statements about the study, which was genetic research conducted early in the pandemic seeking clues to the risk factors for severe symptoms. One of the authors of that study told CBS News their findings ‘never supported’ what Kennedy claimed, adding, ‘This type of misinterpretation will hurt academic research to help us end pandemic.’” [CBS News, 7/17/23]
Civil Rights Groups Denounced Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s Comments
Anti-Defamation League: “The Claim That COVID-19 Was A Bioweapon Created By The Chinese Or Jews To Attack Caucasians And Black People Is Deeply Offensive And Feeds Into Sinophobic And Antisemitic Conspiracy Theories About COVID-19 That We Have Seen Evolve Over The Last Three Years.” “The Anti-Defamation League, a civil rights organization that fights antisemitism and extremism, also denounced Kennedy’s comments. ‘The claim that COVID-19 was a bioweapon created by the Chinese or Jews to attack Caucasians and Black people is deeply offensive and feeds into sinophobic and antisemitic conspiracy theories about COVID-19 that we have seen evolve over the last three years,’ a spokesperson for the organization said Sunday in an email.” [CBS News, 7/17/23]
Stop Asian Hate Called RFK, Jr’s Comments “Irresponsible” And “Hateful” And Accused Him Of Endangering Asian-Americans. “Jane Shim, the director of the Stop Asian Hate Project, an initiative of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, described Kennedy’s remarks as ‘irresponsible, hateful comments,’ likening his words to the ‘dangerous rhetoric’ of President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly referred to covid-19 as ‘the China virus’ and previously called it the ‘kung flu.’ ‘Antisemitism and anti-Chinese, anti-Asian sentiment are as old as the country itself. Even today, it’s an easy way to score points with the same nativist ideologues who manufacture conspiracy theories like the one [Kennedy] is now promoting,’ Shim told The Post on Saturday. ‘While RFK spitballs his baseless claims, leaning into them when beneficial and distancing himself when harmful to his campaign, Asian Americans will be harmed,’ Shim added.” [Washington Post, 7/15/23]
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Compared Public Health Measures To Combat The COVID-19 Pandemic To The Holocaust
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Compared Public Health Measure To Combat COVID-19 To Fascism And Claimed “Even In Hitler’s Germany, You Could Cross The Alps To Switzerland. You Could Hide In An Attic Like Anne Frank Did.” “Kennedy’s latest comments were not the first time he’s sparked outrage with comments about COVID-19 and Jewish people. In a 2022 speech, he compared public health measures to ‘fascism’ and claimed, ‘Even in Hitler’s Germany, you could cross the Alps to Switzerland. You could hide in an attic like Anne Frank did.’ ‘These analogies are historically specious and hurtful to Jews and, frankly, to anyone who has a historical memory of who the Nazis were and what they did,’ Aryeh Tuchman of the ADL’s Center on Extremism told The Associated Press at the time. ‘Anything in the pursuit of his agenda.’” [CBS News, 7/17/23]
A SUPER PAC AND BIG MONEY DONORS SUPPORTING ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR’S PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN ARE PART OF THE MAGA RIGHT
A Super PAC Supporting Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s Presidential Campaign Has Close Ties To Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene And George Santos
HEADLINE: “Pro-RFK Jr. Super PAC Has Deep Ties To Marjorie Taylor Greene, George Santos” [Rolling Stone, 6/23/23]
Heal The Divide, A Super PAC Supporting Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s Presidential Campaign, Has Ties To Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene And George Santos And Former Georgia Senate Candidate Herschel Walker. “LAST MONTH, SUPPORTERS of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential bid created a Super PAC titled Heal the Divide. On its website, the group — whose name is borrowed from Kennedy’s own campaign slogan — advises voters that ‘Only Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. can unite the Nation to start healing America,’ and allows visitors to donate both in dollars and cryptocurrency. There’s nothing abnormal about a candidate getting a Super PAC, even a candidate making a long-shot bid like Kennedy’s. What is abnormal, however, is that Kennedy is running as a Democrat in the Democratic primary, while the creators of the Super PAC have a deeply pro-Donald Trump bent — including ties to arch-MAGA officials such as Marjorie Taylor Greene, George Santos, and Herschel Walker.” [Rolling Stone, 6/23/23]
- Heal The Divide’s Treasurer Was Affiliated With RTA Strategy, Which Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Campaign And Leadership PAC Paid More Than $372,000 For Work On Her 2022 Congressional Race. “Federal Election Commission filings list Jason D. Boles of RTA Strategy as its treasurer and use RTA’s website and mailing address. In 2022, Greene’s campaign and leadership PAC, Save America Stop Socialism, paid the firm more than $372,000 for work on her 2022 congressional race, according to data compiled by OpenSecrets.” [Rolling Stone, 6/23/23]
- RTA Strategy Worked For Herschel Walker’s 2022 Senate Race In Georgia. “The Georgia-based RTA, founded by political consultant Rick Thompson, also worked for Walker in his failed 2022 Senate race in Georgia. Thompson served as custodian for Walker’s campaign committee and Boles worked as treasurer of the committee, earning the firm roughly $50,000, according to campaign-finance records.” [Rolling Stone, 6/23/23]
- RTA Strategy Signed On To Be Treasurer And Designated Agent For The Embattled Rep. George Santos’ Campaign. “More recently, Boles and Thompson have signed on as treasurer and designated agent, respectively, for the embattled Santos after the indicted congressman struggled to find personnel to handle his campaign finances.” [Rolling Stone, 6/23/23]
Big Money Donors Supporting Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s Presidential Campaign Are Also Supporting Ron DeSantis’ Campaign
HEADLINE: “The Big-Money Donors Backing DeSantis — And RFK Jr.” [Axios, 7/12/23]
Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s Campaign Received Money From The Purple Good Government PAC, Which Donated $100,000 To A PAC Aligned With Ron DeSantis In 2022. “Kennedy’s campaign received just $13,200 from two political action committees: American Values 2024 — which is backing him — and Purple Good Government PAC. The latter, which in 2022 donated $100,000 to a PAC-aligned with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is now seeking the Republican presidential nomination, has previously received large donations from venture capitalist David Sacks, who held a fundraiser for Kennedy earlier this year.” [ABC News, 7/17/23]
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR IS A PROLIFIC VACCINE CONSPIRACY THEORIST
Robert F. Kennedy Jr Became “One Of The Loudest Voices Blaring False Links Between Vaccination And Autism.” “Kennedy’s trajectory juddered in the early aughts when parents who believed their children’s autism diagnoses might have been tied to vaccines approached him and persuaded him of their view. Kennedy became one of the loudest voices blaring false links between vaccination and autism. In 2005, Salon, in partnership with Rolling Stone, published a long reported story by Kennedy that pointed toward the mercury compound thimerosal, used as a preservative in vaccines, as the autism culprit. The story included significant errors, and in 2011 Salon removed it from the site.” [New York Magazine, Intelligencer, 6/30/23]
Robert F. Kennedy Jr Compared Vaccine Mandates To Slavery
Robert F. Kennedy Jr Claimed Vaccine Mandates Would “Make You A Slave.” “But they aren’t the only ones who took exploitative advantage of the suffering of millions: Kennedy’s vilification of Fauci as a fascist sold more than 1 million copies, and his public profile grew with his every outsize utterance, including that vaccine mandates ‘will make you a slave’ and that ‘even in Hitler’s Germany, you could cross the Alps to Switzerland. You could hide in an attic like Anne Frank did,’ a nadir so low that even his wife, the actress Cheryl Hines, had to issue a statement condemning it.” [New York Magazine, Intelligencer, 6/30/23]
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. SPREAD CONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUT HIV AND AIDS
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Spread A Conspiracy Theory That HIV Was A Free Rider On A More Dangerous Virus That Scientists Stifled Debate On In Order To Profit From The First Drug Approved To Treat HIV And AIDS In The 1980s. “While waiting for his plate of meat loaf, gravy, and an iceberg wedge at an empty restaurant in Concord, New Hampshire, on the first day of June, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was gently explaining to me that nobody knows whether HIV is the sole cause of AIDS. ‘They were doing phony, crooked studies to develop a cure that killed people,’ he said of the scientists laboring through the 1980s on the array of protease inhibitors and other anti-retroviral drugs that would eventually stem mass death in countries where access to the medicines was made available, ‘without really being able to understand what HIV was, and pumping up fear about it constantly, not really understanding whether it was causing AIDS.’ That HIV infection causes AIDS is long-established science. But the conspiracy theory Kennedy is laying out, alongside several of its associated tendrils — that HIV is a free rider on a more dangerous virus, that scientists stifled debate in order to profit from the production of AZT, the first drug approved by the FDA to treat HIV and AIDS in 1987 — has deep roots and has borne tragic fruit.” [New York Magazine, Intelligencer, 6/30/23]
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR WOULD NOT DEFINITIVELY SAY WHETHER HE BELIEVED JOE BIDEN WON THE 2020 ELECTION
Robert F. Kennedy Jr Would Not Definitely Say Whether He Believed Joe Biden Won The 2020 Election. “Kennedy still believes that then-Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) won the 2004 election — which reelected Republican George W. Bush — based largely on a loose analysis of exit polls, voting machines and precinct vote counts, echoing the kind of false claims made by Trump and his supporters about the 2020 election. As for the 2020 race, which Biden won, he said, ‘I don’t know. I think that Biden won.’” [Washington Post, 6/5/23]
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR HASN’T MET A CONSPIRACY THEORY HE DOESN’T LIKE
Robert F. Kennedy Jr Claimed That Wi-Fi Causes Cancer And “Leaky Brain.” “Since Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launched his campaign challenging President Biden for the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination, he has given hours of interviews to podcasts, magazines and TV networks. He paints a dark, conspiratorial picture of the world, bristling with debunked theories, misleading claims and outright falsehoods. Wi-Fi causes cancer and ‘leaky brain,’ Kennedy told podcaster Joe Rogan last month.” [NPR, 7/13/23]
Robert F. Kennedy Jr Claimed 5G High-Speed Internet Towers Are Being Used To “Harvest Our Data And Control Our Behavior.” “Kennedy has also suggested that 5G high-speed-internet towers are being used to ‘harvest our data and control our behavior’; posited a link between mass shootings and antidepressant use; told Rogan that Wi-Fi pierces ‘the blood-brain barrier,’ causing ‘leaky brain’; and claimed the presence of atrazine in the water supply has contributed to depression and gender dysphoria among boys since atrazine is known to clinically castrate frogs when dumped into their tanks.” [New York Magazine, Intelligencer, 6/30/23]
Robert F. Kennedy Jr Claimed Antidepressants Were To Blame For School Shootings. “Wi-Fi causes cancer and ‘leaky brain,’ Kennedy told podcaster Joe Rogan last month. Antidepressants are to blame for school shootings, he mused during an appearance with Twitter CEO Elon Musk. Chemicals in the water supply could turn children transgender, he told right-wing Canadian psychologist and podcaster Jordan Peterson, echoing a false assertion made by serial fabulist Alex Jones. AIDS may not be caused by HIV, he has suggested multiple times.” [NPR, 7/13/23]
Robert F. Kennedy Jr Claimed A 2019 Tabletop Exercise About A Mock Pandemic Actually Revealed A Secret Plan By The U.S. Intelligence Community To Enrich Drug Companies And Suppress Free Speech. “Before long, Kennedy was arguing that a 2019 tabletop exercise about a mock pandemic, archived on YouTube, actually revealed a secret plan involving U.S. spymasters to enrich drug companies and suppress free speech. He then rattled off clinical data from a coronavirus vaccine trial that was not designed to measure mortality, falsely suggesting that vaccines killed more people than they saved.” [Washington Post, 6/5/23]
Robert F. Kennedy Jr Touted Ivermectin And Hydroxychloroquine As Treatments For COVID-19. “He compared vaccine mandates to Nazi Germany and promoted a film targeting disproven claims about vaccines to Black Americans. He touted the alternative treatments ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, which have not been found to be effective at treating COVID-19. He appeared at the Christian nationalist ReAwaken America Tour alongside MAGA stars Roger Stone and Michael Flynn and QAnon conspiracy theorists.” [NPR, 7/13/23]
Robert F. Kennedy Jr Spread An Anti-LGBTQ Conspiracy Theory Circulated By Far-Right Conspiracy Theorist Alex Jones
Robert F. Kennedy Jr Claimed Chemicals In The Water Supply Could Turn Children Transgender, Which Echoed A False Claim From Far-Right Conspiracy Theorist Alex Jones. “Wi-Fi causes cancer and ‘leaky brain,’ Kennedy told podcaster Joe Rogan last month. Antidepressants are to blame for school shootings, he mused during an appearance with Twitter CEO Elon Musk. Chemicals in the water supply could turn children transgender, he told right-wing Canadian psychologist and podcaster Jordan Peterson, echoing a false assertion made by serial fabulist Alex Jones. AIDS may not be caused by HIV, he has suggested multiple times.” [NPR, 7/13/23]
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR SPREAD RUSSIAN PROPAGANDA
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Shared A Debunked Conspiracy Theory Mirroring Russian Propaganda Linked To The War In Ukraine That Claimed The United States Was “Developing Ethnically Targeted Bioweapons.” “Kennedy attempted to respond to the criticism of his initial comments in a tweet shared on Saturday night, where he said the New York Post’s ‘story is mistaken.’ But that message repeated most of the same false theories Kennedy was heard sharing in the video, including one that mirrors debunked Russian propaganda linked to the war in Ukraine, which claims the U.S. is ‘developing ethnically targeted bioweapons.’” [CBS News, 7/17/23]
Robert F. Kennedy Jr Blamed The United States For The Russian Invasion Of Ukraine And Said Moscow Acted In “Good Faith.” “His extremely isolationist positions on immigration and foreign policy sound more like a candidate in the Republican primary. He says he would ‘seal the [U.S.-Mexico] border permanently’ and blames the U.S. for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying Moscow acted in ‘good faith.’” [NPR, 7/13/23]
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR PRAISED CONTROVERSIAL FAR-RIGHT FIGURES
Robert F. Kennedy Jr Called Former Fox News Host Tucker Carlson “Breathtakingly Courageous.” “If Kennedy has a hard time saying anything nice about any other Democrat, he speaks with nimble warmth about members of the team he would ostensibly be trying to beat should he find himself in the general election. Kennedy called Tucker Carlson ‘breathtakingly courageous.’ This spring, he posted a photo of himself with far-right activist James O’Keefe, who has used deceptively edited videos as attack vehicles against ACORN, Planned Parenthood, and NPR.” [New York Magazine, Intelligencer, 6/30/23]
Robert F. Kennedy Jr Posted A Picture Of Himself With Project Veritas Founder James O’Keefe. “If Kennedy has a hard time saying anything nice about any other Democrat, he speaks with nimble warmth about members of the team he would ostensibly be trying to beat should he find himself in the general election. Kennedy called Tucker Carlson ‘breathtakingly courageous.’ This spring, he posted a photo of himself with far-right activist James O’Keefe, who has used deceptively edited videos as attack vehicles against ACORN, Planned Parenthood, and NPR.” [New York Magazine, Intelligencer, 6/30/23]
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR APPEARED AT FORUMS THAT ALSO FEATURED FAR-RIGHT MAGA ACTIVISTS
Robert F. Kennedy Jr Appeared At The Christian Nationalist ReAwaken American Tour Alongside Roger Stone, Michael Flynn, And QAnon Conspiracy Theorists. “He compared vaccine mandates to Nazi Germany and promoted a film targeting disproven claims about vaccines to Black Americans. He touted the alternative treatments ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, which have not been found to be effective at treating COVID-19. He appeared at the Christian nationalist ReAwaken America Tour alongside MAGA stars Roger Stone and Michael Flynn and QAnon conspiracy theorists.” [NPR, 7/13/23]
Robert F. Kennedy Jr Was Invited To Speak At The First Principles Forum, Which Also Hosted Conservative Podcaster Matt Walsh Who Called Himself A “Theocratic Fascist,” Conservative Activist Candace Owens, And Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk. “Kennedy’s invitation to speak at a golf club in Indianapolis came from the First Principles Forum, a group founded to seek a ‘return to civil discourse,’ according to the program. Previous speakers have included conservative podcaster Matt Walsh, who refers to himself as a ‘theocratic fascist’ on Twitter; Candace Owens, the founder of a group aimed at helping Blacks ‘escape from the Democratic plantation’; and Charlie Kirk, the founder of the right-wing group Turning Point USA. A common theme among the speakers is a conviction that major news organizations no longer share an accurate picture of what is happening.” [Washington Post, 6/5/23]
Jim Jordan Invited Witness Who Participated In 2020 Election “War Games” And May Have Weaponized State Government To Testify
D. JOHN SAUER PREVIOUSLY TESTIFIED TO THE WEAPONIZATION SUBCOMMITTEE IN MARCH 2023
3/30/23: Louisiana Justice Department Special Assistant Attorney General D. John Sauer Testified To The Select Subcommittee On The Weaponization Of The Federal Government. “The Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government will hold a hearing on Thursday, March 30, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. ET. The hearing will examine the Missouri v. Biden case challenging the administration’s violation of the First Amendment by directing social media companies to censor and suppress Americans’ free speech. Witnesses: U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt, Missouri – testimony Attorney General Jeff Landry, Louisiana – testimony D. John Sauer, Special Assistant Attorney General, Louisiana Department of Justice – testimony Matthew Seligman, Professor, Stanford Constitutional Law Center – testimony.” [U.S. House Committee on Judiciary, Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, Hearing on Missouri v. Biden, 3/30/23]
PUBLIC RECORDS SHOWED THE RULE OF LAW DEFENSE FUND, A DARK MONEY GROUP FOR REPUBLICAN ATTORNEYS GENERAL, WAS IN CONTACT WITH THEN-MISSOURI SOLICITOR GENERAL, JOHN SAUER
A Public Records Request Revealed Contact Between Then-Missouri Solicitor General John Sauer And The Rule Of Law Defense Fund. “An offshoot of the Republican Attorneys General Association that sent a robocall urging ‘patriots’ to support then-President Donald Trump at the Jan. 6 rally that preceded the storming of the U.S. Capitol held a special ‘war games’ meeting weeks before the election to discuss its strategies if Trump lost. […] In Missouri, contacts between the Defense Fund and state Solicitor General John Sauer, who is under Schmitt’s office, became public this year through a records request from a government transparency group. Schmitt said in January that he didn’t know about the Defense Fund robocall, and his spokesperson said Thursday that he wasn’t going to ‘rehash’ issues raised early this year. Schmitt is running for the U.S. Senate in 2022.” [Associated Press, 9/10/21]
- Louis Attorneys, Elad Gross, And Mark Pedroli, Uncovered Proof That Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s Office Exchanged Emails With The Rule Of Law Defense Fund – The Fundraising Arm Of The Republican Attorneys General Association. “St. Louis attorneys Elad Gross and Mark Pedroli got a surprise in a set of documents they recently unearthed via Sunshine requests: proof that Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s office exchanged emails with the Rule of Law Defense Fund leading up to the November 2020 election — and continued to receive numerous communications from staffers at the fund afterward. The defense fund is a fundraising arm of the Republican Attorneys General Association. For months following the election, the organizations amplified former President Trump’s false claims about a stolen election. The defense fund even sent a robocall urging “patriots” to march on the Capitol on Jan. 6.” [KBIA, 3/4/21]
Then-Missouri Solicitor General John Sauer Emailed A Reply To The Rule Of Law Defense Fund To Confirm His Attendance At Their “War Games” Meeting In September 2020. “St. Louis attorneys Elad Gross and Mark Pedroli got a surprise in a set of documents they recently unearthed via Sunshine requests: proof that Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s office exchanged emails with the Rule of Law Defense Fund leading up to the November 2020 election — and continued to receive numerous communications from staffers at the fund afterward. The defense fund is a fundraising arm of the Republican Attorneys General Association. For months following the election, the organizations amplified former President Trump’s false claims about a stolen election. The defense fund even sent a robocall urging ‘patriots’ to march on the Capitol on Jan. 6. And staffers there corresponded in recent months with at least one member of Schmitt’s top staff: Missouri Solicitor General John Sauer. ‘He replied [to Rule of Law Defense Fund] to confirm his attendance at the ‘War Games’ meeting in September,’ Gross told St. Louis on the Air. The itinerary for that meeting involved political strategizing in case of Trump’s defeat at the ballot box. Sauer subsequently became the counsel of record on the amicus brief filed by some Republican attorneys general challenging election results in Pennsylvania and other states. Most of what Gross and Pedroli have sorted through are blind-copy emails from the defense fund to the attorney general’s office. In at least one case, though, Sauer responded.” [St. Louis Public Radio, 3/4/21]
- Public Records Showed Then-Missouri Solicitor General John Sauer Was Registered For A Rule Of Law Defense Fund “Senior Staff Summit” In September 2020 That An Event Organizer Described As “War Games.” “The records show John Sauer, the state solicitor general, was registered for a ‘Senior Staff Summit’ on Sept. 23 and 24. He received Zoom log-in info from a Rule of Law Defense Fund official. An itinerary for a ‘Senior Staff Summit’ said the event was taking place in Atlanta. The records also include emails from Adam Piper, executive director of RAGA, who mentioned ‘WAR GAMES’ conversations in case President Donald Trump lost the White House. In an email, Piper said, ‘WAR GAMES – 32 AG Staff Members are huddled in Atlanta for a series of conversations planning for what could come if we lose the White House,’ he said on Sept. 24. On Sept. 25, he said, ‘Thank you to the 30+ AG Staff members who came the Atlanta and the other 12 who participated virtually. It was a fast paced, productive series of war games, which hopefully will not have to be utilized in November.’” [St. Louis Post Dispatch, 2/24/21]
- The Republican Attorneys General Association Held A Special “War Games” Meeting To Discuss Strategies If Trump Lost The 2020 Election. “An offshoot of the Republican Attorneys General Association that sent a robocall urging ‘patriots’ to support then-President Donald Trump at the Jan. 6 rally that preceded the storming of the U.S. Capitol held a special ‘war games’ meeting weeks before the election to discuss its strategies if Trump lost. [Associated Press, 9/10/21]
IN A ROBOCALL, THE RULE OF LAW DEFENSE FUND URGED “PATRIOTS” TO SUPPORT TRUMP ON JANUARY 6TH
The Rule Of Law Defense Fund Sent A Robocall Urging “Patriots” To Support Then-President Donald Trump At The January 6 Rally. “An offshoot of the Republican Attorneys General Association that sent a robocall urging ‘patriots’ to support then-President Donald Trump at the Jan. 6 rally that preceded the storming of the U.S. Capitol held a special ‘war games’ meeting weeks before the election to discuss its strategies if Trump lost. [Associated Press, 9/10/21]
DURING PREVIOUS WEAPONIZATION SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING, JOHN SAUER ADMITTED TO ATTENDING RULE OF LAW DEFENSE FUND MEETINGS
During The Weaponization Hearing, John Sauer Admitted To Attending Rule Of Law Defense Fund Meetings, But Denied Attending Political Meetings. A transcript of John Sauer’s response to Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz regarding his communications with the Rule of Law defense fund, SAUER: “None of the meetings I attended were political. I attended one meeting by zoom that discussed legal issues only.” [U.S. House Committee on Judiciary, Hearing on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, 3/30/23] (video)
REP. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ REQUESTED THE WEAPONIZATION COMMITTEE ISSUE A SUBPOENA TO UNCOVER JOHN SAUER’S INVOLVEMENT WITH THE RULE OF LAW DEFENSE FUND
Rep. Wasserman Schultz Moved To Subpoena Mr. Sauer And Request Correspondence Relating To The Use Of State Resources In Coordination With Dark Money Groups Involved In The January 6th Insurrection. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: “So I move that the chair issue subpoenas to Mr. Sauer, requesting any and all correspondence relating to their political involvement in the January 6 insurrection and dark money groups while using state resources.” [U.S. House Committee on Judiciary, Hearing on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, 3/30/23] (video)
- Missouri State Law Prohibits The Use Of State Resources For Political Purposes And The Law Has Been Enforced In The Past. “As Gross explained on Thursday’s St. Louis on the Air, Missouri law prohibits the use of state resources for political ends, and there’s some history of enforcing that law in the Show-Me State. Former Attorney General William Webster went to prison for it. ‘He was sentenced to a two-year term of imprisonment in the early ’90s,’ Gross said. ‘I mean, he did a whole lot of stuff, but the stuff that he pled guilty on was using a copy machine for some campaign materials. … Our law is very clear, and the law of many states is very clear, that you cannot use public resources for political purposes. ‘And that’s what these emails are showing. Not only was the email account used for that purpose, but taxpayer-paid staff were doing this on work time. It boggles my mind to even think about it.’” [St. Louis Public Radio, 3/4/21]
- Louis Attorney Elad Gross Said Correspondence Between Sauer And The Rule Of Law Defense Fund Was Surprising: “Having Worked There Before, I Didn’t Think There’d Be Any Emails From These Political Groups Within The Attorney General’s Office At All — Was Very Surprised To Find Out I Was Very Wrong About That” “Most of what Gross and Pedroli have sorted through are blind-copy emails from the defense fund to the attorney general’s office. In at least one case, though, Sauer responded. To Gross, a former assistant attorney general under Schmitt’s predecessor, it all suggests a surprising mix of political action and state business. “Having worked there before, I didn’t think there’d be any emails from these political groups within the attorney general’s office at all — was very surprised to find out I was very wrong about that,” Gross said.” [KBIA, 3/4/21]
Rep. Wasserman Schulz Asked Republican Witness John Sauer If He Violated Missouri Law By Using State Resources On Official Time To Colluded With A Political Group To Prevent America’s Peaceful Transfer Of Power – Sauer Claimed He Did Not. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: “Did you violate Missouri statute section 36.157 By using state resources on official time to collude with political groups to prevent America’s peaceful transfer of power?” SAUER: “Absolutely not.” [U.S. House Committee on Judiciary, Hearing on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, 3/30/23] (video)
AFTER SUBPOENA MOTION FAILED, WASSERMAN SCHULTZ CRITICIZED THE SUBCOMMITTEE FOR ITS SELECTIVE EVIDENCE GATHERING
The Weaponization Subcommittee Denied Rep. Wasserman Schultz’s Motion For A Subpoena By A 10-7 Vote. Clerk: “Mr. Chair there are 10 ayes and seven no’s. [U.S. House Committee on Judiciary, Hearing on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, 3/30/23] (video)
Rep. Wasserman Schultz Criticized The Weaponization Subcommittee For Being “Selectively” Interested In Evidence Gathering Regarding The Weaponization Of Government. REP. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: “But this committee is only interested in selectively doing that as evidenced by the fact that the Republican majority on this committee squashed getting us more evidence than what I have behind me that I’ve entered into the record to prove that proves that this witness Mr. Sauer weaponize weaponized government and participated violating Missouri State law” [U.S. House Committee on Judiciary, Hearing on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, 3/30/23] (video)
Jim Jordan Invited Witness Who Published Story About A Private Citizen’s Laptop To Testify To Congress
EMMA-JO MORRIS REPORTEDLY HAD NO ETHICAL RESERVATIONS ABOUT WRITING THE STORY ABOUT HUNTER BIDEN’S ALLEGED LAPTOP
Emma-Jo Morris Reportedly Never Second-Guessed Writing A Story About Hunter Biden Allegedly Abandoning A Laptop And Thought It Would Be A “Tabloid Story.” “She had never had such a big story, never overseen such a big investigation, and while she was anxious about how to get it right, she was not conflicted about whether it was right to try to get it at all. In her opinion, the news value was obvious. ‘I was thinking if someone came to me and just said, ‘Hunter Biden was on crack,’ which we know he does, ‘and left his laptop somewhere, and forfeited ownership’ — that’s a great story,’ she said. ‘Like, What a degenerate! I figured that alone could be just a tabloid story.’” [New York Magazine, Intelligencer, 9/12/22]
New York Post Staff Members Reportedly Expressed Concern Over Whether The Publication Had Done Enough To Vet The Authenticity Of The Hard Drive Contents
Many New York Post Staff Members Reportedly Questioned Whether The Publication Had Done Enough To Verify The Authenticity Of The Hard Drive’s Contents And Expressed Concerns About The Reliability Of Its Sources. “Many Post staff members questioned whether the paper had done enough to verify the authenticity of the hard drive’s contents, said five people with knowledge of the tabloid’s inner workings. Staff members also had concerns about the reliability of its sources and its timing, the people said.” [New York Times, 10/18/20]
RUDY GIULIANI ADMITTED HE DID NOT KNOW IF THE LAPTOP WAS REAL OR HACKED AND HE GAVE IT TO THE NEW YORK POST TO AVOID TOO MUCH SCRUTINY
Rudy Giuliani Admitted He Did Not Know If The Laptop Was Real Or Hacked, And He Gave It To The New York Post To Avoid Too Much Scrutiny. “What’s more, Giuliani himself didn’t exactly put fears about the information’s provenance at ease. The day after the story broke, on Oct. 15, the Wall Street Journal quoted Giuliani as saying, ‘Could it be hacked? I don’t know. I don’t think so. If it was hacked, it’s for real. If it was hacked. I didn’t hack it. I have every right to use it.’ He told the New York Times in an Oct. 18 story that he had given the hard drive to the New York Post because ‘either nobody else would take it, or if they took it, they would spend all the time they could to try to contradict it before they put it out.’ The implication was apparently that he didn’t want too much scrutiny. Giuliani refused to share the hard drive with other outlets, including The Washington Post and the Times.” [Washington Post, 4/21/23]
- Rudy Giuliani Said He Gave The Hard Drive To The New York Post Because “Either Nobody Else Would Take It, Or If They Took It, They Would Spend All The Time They Could To Try To Contradict It Before They Put It Out.” “The article named two sources: Stephen K. Bannon, the former adviser to President Trump now facing federal fraud charges, who was said to have made the paper aware of the hard drive last month; and Rudolph W. Giuliani, the president’s personal lawyer, who was said to have given the paper ‘a copy’ of the hard drive on Oct. 11. Mr. Giuliani said he chose The Post because ‘either nobody else would take it, or if they took it, they would spend all the time they could to try to contradict it before they put it out.’” [New York Times, 10/18/20]
- Emma-Jo Morris Received An External Hard Drive Purporting To Be The Contents Of Hunter Biden’s Laptop From Steve Bannon And Rudy Giuliani. “‘Welcome to the seventh circle of hell,’ Bannon said when he walked in. From then on, Morris said, the hard drive was known as the ‘Laptop From Hell.’ (The formulation ‘from hell’ is credited to the comedian Richard Lewis, who made a joke about a ‘date from hell.’ Reached for comment, Lewis said, ‘There’s a jail from hell waiting for people who steal my material.’) Bannon and Giuliani handed over an external hard drive.” [New York Magazine, Intelligencer, 9/12/22]
SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES QUICKLY REVERSED THEIR EFFORTS TO LIMIT THE SPREAD OF THE NEW YORK POST STORY
Washington Post: “The Republicans’ Claim Of Suppression Also Doesn’t Really Comport With The Timeline, Insofar As This Is About Social Media Suppression.” “The Republicans’ claim of suppression also doesn’t really comport with the timeline, insofar as this is about social media suppression.” [Washington Post, 4/21/23]
Twitter Stopped Blocking The Story Within 24 Hours, By October 16, 2020
Twitter Had Apologized And Stopped Blocking The Hunter Biden Laptop Story Within 24 Hours, By October 16, 2020. “But Twitter actually apologized for its decision and said it had stopped blocking links to the story and documents by Oct. 16. In testimony to Jordan’s committee in February, former Twitter chief legal officer Vijaya Gadde said, ‘Twitter changed its policy within 24 hours and admitted its initial action was wrong. This policy revision immediately allowed people to tweet the original articles with the embedded source materials.’” [Washington Post, 4/21/23]
- Former Twitter Chief Legal Officer Vijaya Gadde Told Rep. Jim Jordan’s Committee: “Twitter Changed Its Policy Within 24 Hours And Admitted Its Initial Action Was Wrong. This Policy Revision Immediately Allowed People To Tweet The Original Articles With The Embedded Source Materials.” “But Twitter actually apologized for its decision and said it had stopped blocking links to the story and documents by Oct. 16. In testimony to Jordan’s committee in February, former Twitter chief legal officer Vijaya Gadde said, ‘Twitter changed its policy within 24 hours and admitted its initial action was wrong. This policy revision immediately allowed people to tweet the original articles with the embedded source materials.’” [Washington Post, 4/21/23]
Facebook Had Stopped Decreasing Distribution Of The Story Within Five To Seven Days
Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg Said Facebook’s Work To Decrease Distribution Of The Hunter Biden Laptop Story Lasted ‘Five Or Seven Days,” Which Would Put The End Point Of Those Efforts Around 10/19/20. “Facebook’s restrictions took the form of decreasing distribution of the story, rather than blocking it. Founder Mark Zuckerberg has said this lasted for ‘five or seven days when it was basically being determined whether [the story] was false.’ That would place the end point on Oct. 19 or a couple days later.” [Washington Post, 4/21/23]
RESEARCH HAS FOUND THAT SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AMPLIFY CONSERVATIVE VOICES AND CENSORSHIP CLAIMS ARE BASELESS
New York University Study Found That Social Media Platform Amplified Right-Wing Voices Through Their Algorithms. “Republicans including Donald Trump have raged against Twitter and Facebook in recent months, alleging anti-conservative bias, censorship and a silencing of free speech. According to a new report from New York University, none of that is true. Disinformation expert Paul Barrett and researcher J Grant Sims found that far from suppressing conservatives, social media platforms have, through algorithms, amplified rightwing voices, ‘often affording conservatives greater reach than liberal or nonpartisan content creators.’” [The Guardian, 2/1/21]
Twitter’s Own Research Found That Its Algorithm Amplified Content From Right-Leaning Political Parties And News Outlets More Than From The Left. “Twitter amplifies tweets from right-leaning political parties and news outlets more than from the left, its own research suggests. The social-media giant said it made the discovery while exploring how its algorithm recommends political content to users. But it admitted it did not know why, saying that was a ‘more difficult question to answer’. Twitter has previously faced claims of anti-conservative bias on its platform. Twitter’s study examined tweets from political parties and users sharing content from news outlets in seven countries around the world: Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, the UK, and the US. It analyzed millions of tweets sent between 1 April and 15 August 2020. Researchers then used the data to see which tweets were being amplified more on an algorithmically ordered feed compared with a reverse-chronological feed, both of which users have an option of using. They found that mainstream parties and outlets on the political right enjoyed higher levels of ‘algorithmic amplification’ compared with their counterparts on the left.” [BBC, 10/22/21]
REPUBLICANS RELY ON A BOGUS POLL TO CLAIM THE HUNTER BIDEN LAPTOP STORY WOULD HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE 2020 ELECTION
House Judiciary Committee Republicans Claimed The Hunter Biden Laptop Letter Prevented Americans From Being Able To Make A Fully Informed Decision In 2020
House Judiciary Committee Republicans Claimed The Intelligence Community Letter About The Hunter Biden Laptop Story Prevented Americans From Making A Fully Informed Decision About The 2020 Election. “Based on Morell’s testimony, it is apparent that the Biden campaign played an active role in the origins of the public statement, which had the effect of helping to suppress the Hunter Biden story and preventing American citizens from making a fully informed decision during the 2020 presidential election. Although the statement’s signatories have an unquestioned right to free speech and free association—which we do not dispute—their reference to their national security credentials lent weight to the story and suggested access to specialized information unavailable to other Americans. This concerted effort to minimize and suppress public dissemination of the serious allegations about the Biden family was a grave disservice to all American citizens’ informed participation in our democracy.” [U.S. House Committee on Judiciary, Press Release, 4/20/23]
Fact Checkers Looked At The Poll Republicans Use To Make These Claims And Found Lack Of Media Coverage Of The Story Would Not Have Made A Substantial Difference In 2020
HEADLINE: “Lawmakers Cite Fishy Poll To Suggest Laptop Tale Would Have Swayed Vote” [Washington Post, Fact Checker, 2/21/23]
Washington Post Fact Checker Gave Two Pinocchios To Republican Claims That A Poll Showed A Lack Of Media Coverage About Hunter Biden’s Laptop Would Have Made A Difference In The 2020 Election. “This poll conveniently supports a line that Republicans are pushing — that a lack of media coverage related to the Hunter Biden laptop made a difference in the presidential election. But when you dig into the results, which are swayed by aggressively misleading questions, it shows that for all but a tiny percentage of Biden voters, the story would not have made a difference — even if framed as a still-unproven scandal. In any case, the questions in the poll are similar to messages the Trump campaign used in the final weeks of the campaign — and it still fell short. These lawmakers can claim they are simply quoting poll results — but it says less than they suggest and in many ways undermines their case. They earn Two Pinocchios.” [Washington Post, Fact Checker, 2/21/23]
Politifact Said Rep. Stefanik’s Claim That “53 Percent Of Americans Made Aware Of The Hunter Biden Laptop Story Would Have Changed Their Vote In 2020” As “False.” “Stefanik claimed that ‘53% of Americans made aware of the Hunter Biden laptop story would have changed their vote in 2020.’ The poll found that of a group of people who had been following the story, 28% would have been ‘very likely’ to change their vote had they known the laptop was not disinformation, and 25% were ‘somewhat likely,’ a less-sure response than Stefanik’s claim implies. However, the pool of respondents who answered this question leans Republican more strongly than the general population, so most of these voters would not have been voting for Biden in the first place. This makes the polling result illogical: Understood literally, if many members of this group were to change their vote because of the laptop story, they might well have changed their vote from Trump to Biden. So her statement is not accurate. We rate this False.” [Politifact, 2/25/23]
DEMOCRATIC REP. ERIC SWALWELL ACCUSED JIM JORDAN OF BEING OBSESSED WITH A PRIVATE CITIZEN’S “NONCONSENSUAL NUDES”
HEADLINE: “‘Weirdness Cost’: Lawmaker Says GOP Obsession With Hunter Biden Nudes Is ‘Creepy'” [Raw Story, 7/12/23]
Rep. Eric Swalwell Said It Was “Bananas” For Rep. Jim Jordan And Republicans To Claim The 2020 Election Was Determined Because The FBI Did Not Let More Americans See A Private Citizen’s “Nonconsensual Nudes.” REP. ERIC SWALWELL: “And I’ve seen that. Chairman, I’ve counted in this hearing and we’re only about an hour and a half, in the use of the word laptop about 20 times. In fact, in the Chairman’s opening statement, he said that he’s upset that he believes the FBI prevented more Americans from learning about a private citizens’ laptop. That is bananas to me. You all are bringing up FISA every single question. You’re essentially saying to the American people that you’re guardians of personal security and privacy. But the 2020 election was determined — because the FBI didn’t let more Americans see a private citizens’ nonconsensual nudes? Is that what we’re saying here? That you lost the election, not because of your ideas, but because a private citizens’ laptop.” [U.S. Committee on Judiciary, Hearing on FBI Oversight, 7/13/23] (video)
- Eric Swalwell: “That’s Bananas. Like You Should Be A Party Of Ideas, Not A Party Of Nonconsensual Nudes To Help You Win An Election.” [U.S. Committee on Judiciary, Hearing on FBI Oversight, 7/13/23] (video)
- Eric Swalwell: “Is That What We’re Saying Here? That You Lost The Election, Not Because Of Your Ideas, But Because A Private Citizens’ Laptop.” REP. ERIC SWALWELL: “And I’ve seen that. Chairman, I’ve counted in this hearing and we’re only about an hour and a half, in the use of the word laptop about 20 times. In fact, in the Chairman’s opening statement, he said that he’s upset that he believes the FBI prevented more Americans from learning about a private citizens’ laptop. That is bananas to me. You all are bringing up FISA every single question. You’re essentially saying to the American people that you’re guardians of personal security and privacy. But the 2020 election was determined — because the FBI didn’t let more Americans see a private citizens’ nonconsensual nudes? Is that what we’re saying here? That you lost the election, not because of your ideas, but because a private citizens’ laptop.” [U.S. Committee on Judiciary, Hearing on FBI Oversight, 7/13/23] (video)
Rep. Eric Swalwell Suggested Republicans Were Hypocrites For Positioning Themselves As Guardians Of Personal Security And Privacy, But Then Frequently Bringing Up A Private Citizen’s Laptop. REP. ERIC SWALWELL: “And I’ve seen that. Chairman, I’ve counted in this hearing and we’re only about an hour and a half, in the use of the word laptop about 20 times. In fact, in the Chairman’s opening statement, he said that he’s upset that he believes the FBI prevented more Americans from learning about a private citizens’ laptop. That is bananas to me. You all are bringing up FISA every single question. You’re essentially saying to the American people that you’re guardians of personal security and privacy. But the 2020 election was determined — because the FBI didn’t let more Americans see a private citizens’ nonconsensual nudes? Is that what we’re saying here? That you lost the election, not because of your ideas, but because a private citizens’ laptop.” [U.S. Committee on Judiciary, Hearing on FBI Oversight, 7/13/23] (video)