Elections

Senate committee votes to subpoena Twitter, Facebook CEOs over censorship allegations

Published

3 years ago

October 22, 2020

The Senate Judiciary Committee has voted to authorize subpoenas for the CEOs of Twitter and Facebook after both sites suppressed the spread of a New York Post exposé on their platforms last week for allegedly violating their “hacked materials” policies.

The exposé revealed ever-before-seen emails The Post obtained reportedly from Hunter Biden’s laptop. It also shows that Hunter Biden allegedly leveraged the position of his father, then-Vice President Joe Biden, when he was the public face of the Obama administration’s Ukraine policy and while Hunter was being paid to sit on the board of a corrupt Ukrainian energy company called Burisma Holdings.

The Post was supposedly given a hard drive containing the emails that came from a laptop given to a repair shop in Delaware. It has been alleged that the laptop belonged to Hunter Biden. Twitter and Facebook argued that, since The Post did not own the emails or hard drive, it violated their “hacked materials” policy. The two social media companies were subsequently accused of censoring journalists and whistleblowers, violating a free press.

Another caveat to this story is that the laptop and hard drive were connected to a late 2019 FBI investigation into allegations of money laundering, the bureau has confirmed. The bureau has also verified that the published contents of the hard drive are authentic.

All 12 Republican committee members voted in favor of the action on Thursday, while the committee Democrats protested the vote over the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, the vetting of whom the Judiciary Committee oversaw. No date for this hearing has been announced.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, as well as Alphabet (Google’s parent company) CEO Sundar Pichai are already set to appear before the Senate Commerce Committee on October 28 regarding user privacy and supposed bias in moderating content posted to their platforms by users.

You can follow Douglas Braff on Twitter @Douglas_P_Braff.

Elections

Eric Clapton Raises $2.2 Million for Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s Presidential Campaign

Published

18 hours ago

September 21, 2023

Alexander Carter

Rock and Roll and Blues legend Eric Clapton took center stage at a recent campaign fundraiser, raising an impressive $2.2 million for Democrat presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Clapton’s electrifying performance at a private concert in Los Angeles underscored his support for Kennedy’s primary campaign against President Biden, making headlines across the nation.

The event, which featured Clapton’s iconic guitar prowess and took place against the backdrop of a prominent Kennedy 2024 banner, was a resounding success, according to a campaign press release. According to reports from Fox News, of the $2.2 million raised, $1 million directly benefited Kennedy’s campaign, while the remaining $1.2 million bolstered a political action committee supporting the Democrat’s bid for the presidency.

Attendees eager to support Kennedy’s campaign invested a cool $6,600 per ticket, as reported by the Daily Mail, to witness Clapton’s musical artistry and to lend their support to the candidate. Kennedy expressed his deep gratitude to Clapton for his role in the event, emphasizing the unifying power of music in today’s divided society.

“I am deeply grateful to Eric Clapton for bringing his musical artistry and rebellious spirit to my gathering in Los Angeles last night,” Kennedy remarked in the press release. He added, “I sometimes think that in our divided society, it is music rather than any kind of intellectual agreement that has the most potential to bring us together again. Eric sings from the depths of the human condition.”

Kennedy also credited artists like Clapton for invoking faith in the limitless power of human beings to overcome obstacles and unite the nation. The campaign event not only showcased Clapton’s performance but also included a private dinner attended by Kennedy, his wife Cheryl Hines, Stephen Stills of Crosby, Stills & Nash fame, and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, I-Hawaii.

However, not everyone in attendance aligned with Kennedy’s presidential aspirations. Stephen Stills, who was initially present at the fundraiser, made it clear afterward that his support remained firmly behind President Biden. According to the Daily Beast, Stills issued a statement through a spokesperson, affirming his allegiance to the incumbent president.

“I support President Biden,” Stills declared. “I was there as a guest to support Eric Clapton, who performed.”

The event served as a notable intersection of music, politics, and fundraising, underlining the influential role that artists and musicians can play in shaping the political landscape and contributing to presidential campaigns.

With Kennedy’s campaign coffers significantly bolstered by Clapton’s performance, the 2024 presidential race continues to garner attention and financial support from a diverse array of donors and influencers.