Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) formally invited Facebook and Twitter to testify regarding their censorship of the New York Post’s reporting on Hunter Biden. Senator Hawley said that the companies have violated campaign finance law by offering an in-kind contribution to the Biden campaign.
Senator Hawley’s letter to Facebook can be found here and his letter to Twitter can be found here.
October 15, 2020
Mark Zuckerberg
Chief Executive Officer
Facebook, Inc.
1 Hacker Way
Menlo Park, CA 94025
By Email
Dear Mr. Zuckerberg:
I invite you to testify, on a date to be determined before the election, at the Senate Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism hearing entitled “Digital Platforms and Election Interference.” As your company is no doubt aware, corporations are forbidden from contributing anything of value—financial or otherwise—to support the election of candidates for public office. Accordingly, this hearing will consider potential campaign law violations arising from your company’s decision, on October 14, 2020, to support the presidential campaign of Joe Biden by suppressing the distribution of a New York Post article entitled “Smoking-gun email reveals how Hunter Biden introduced Ukrainian businessman to VP dad."
Committee rules require that you provide your testimony and curriculum vitae for distribution to members of the Committee and the press at least 24 hours before the hearing is scheduled to begin. Please send an electronic copy of your testimony and curriculum vitae to Jason_Covey@judiciary-rep.senate.gov.
Please contact Jason Covey at (202) 224-5225 with any questions. We look forward to your testimony.
Sincerely,
Josh Hawley
United States Senator
October 15, 2020
Jack Dorsey
Chief Executive Officer
Twitter, Inc.
1355 Market Street, Suite 900
San Francisco, CA 94103
By Email
Dear Mr. Dorsey:
I invite you to testify, on a date to be determined before the election, at the Senate Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism hearing entitled “Digital Platforms and Election Interference.” As your company is no doubt aware, corporations are forbidden from contributing anything of value—financial or otherwise—to support the election of candidates for public office. This hearing will consider potential campaign law violations arising from your company’s decision, on October 14, 2020, to support the presidential campaign of Joe Biden by asymmetrically applying its terms of service and restricting the distribution of a New York Post article entitled “Smoking-gun email reveals how Hunter Biden introduced Ukrainian businessman to VP dad,” as well as by suspending the official account of the presidential campaign of Donald Trump for discussing this story. It will also consider your company’s decision to double down on that potential violation by, on October 15, 2020, suppressing the Post’s follow-up story.
Committee rules require that you provide your testimony and curriculum vitae for distribution to members of the Committee and the press at least 24 hours before the hearing is scheduled to begin. Please send an electronic copy of your testimony and curriculum vitae to Jason_Covey@judiciary-rep.senate.gov.
Please contact Jason Covey at (202) 224-5225 with any questions. We look forward to your testimony.
Sincerely,
Josh Hawley
United States Senator