Senate Panel Flinches At Subpoenas For Twitter, Facebook CEOs

After harnessing the white-hot glare of mass media cameras to call for urgent twittering and Facebook CEOs, several Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee dialled back their immediacy, opting for a more voluntary approach.

Monday, the Senate Judiciary Committee reported that it was postponing plans to vote on the question of subpoenas in order to force the social media chiefs to testify about the recent censorship of the New York Post in relation to details found on Hunter Biden’s laptop.

The hearings were also expected to discuss what many on Capitol Hill consider to be an anti-conservative bias on Twitter and Facebook, as well as other Silicon Valley tech giants.

The delay in issuing subpoenas, according to the members of the Judiciary Committee, comes after some Republican committees have expressed concerns about the manoeuvre and how easily the committee has committed itself to issuing subpoenas.

Chairman @LindseyGrahamSC reported that the committee would consider approving subpoenas to force Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to report on the censorship of New York Post ‘s platforms. https:/t.co/gDr0sjNuK

Chairman @LindseyGrahamSC announced the committee would consider authorizing subpoenas to compel testimony from Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg regarding the platforms’ censorship of New York Post articles. https://t.co/gDr0sjNuNK

— Senate Judiciary (@senjudiciary) October 19, 2020

Members of the committee want Jack Dorsey and Mark Zuckerberg to testify on their open channels to the suppression and/or surveillance of the New York Post report and to any other content-moderation policies , procedures or acts that could conflict with or affect the election of a federal office, according to a document released by the committee on Monday.

But while some on the Judiciary Committee can feel the heat of special interest, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is standing up. “One way or another, either willingly or on the basis of a warrant, they will testify and testify before the election,” Cruz said.

Silicon Valley billionaires are exploiting their enormous power to intervene with the elections, undermine free expression, and censor the news. That’s why I’m leading the Senate efforts to keep them accountable and to get answers before Election Day. Twitter.com/8qBsYWmt1 t

Silicon Valley billionaires are abusing their immense power to interfere with the election, suppress free speech, & censor the press. That’s why I am leading efforts in the Senate to hold them accountable & get answers before Election Day. pic.twitter.com/8qBsYWmt1t

— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) October 20, 2020

Both Dorsey and Zuckerberg, along with Google CEO Sundar Pichai, are expected to appear before the Senate Trade Committee on 2 November 2020 for hearings on Section 230 of the Communication Decency Act, which governs social media liability protection.