Ohio Representative Jim Jordan, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has requested an audit of communications records from three major pharmaceutical giants, amid escalating concerns about alleged censorship collaborations with federal agencies.
In a dramatic turn of events, letters were dispatched on Tuesday to Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Merck & Co. These letters, authored by Jordan, urged the companies to produce any documents and information that could illuminate their potential involvement in categorizing particular narratives as “misinformation” under the guidance or influence of government personnel.
It has already been previously established that Pfizer board member Scott Gottlieb was responsible for flagging a tweet by journalist Alex Berenson to Twitter just prior to him being banned from the platform.
This follows an invitation the trio of companies received from the Department of Health and Human Services back in December 2020. The agenda? A meeting with Stanford University and executive branch agencies to build a unified front against the spread of COVID-19 vaccine disinformation, as per records made available to the committee.
The oversight role of the committee, Jordan argues, necessitates this pursuit of pertinent documents and data. The Chairman’s letters succinctly capture his belief that such a censorship system, if indeed endorsed or enabled by the government, would pose a severe threat to the First Amendment and to civil liberties.
Amidst the ceaseless probing of the Biden administration’s endeavors to flag perceived misinformation, the Republican party continues its defense of free speech. This was most evident in the initial elation following a federal judge’s preliminary injunction earlier this month, impeding federal officials from suppressing content via social media companies. However, this legal victory was short-lived, with a US appeals court recently obstructing the injunction, leaving the administration unimpeded for the time being.
Allegations are being raised based on the documentation received by Jordan’s committee, suggesting potential collaborations between the government and these pharmaceutical entities to compromise the civil liberties of American citizens.
The Committee Chairman’s quest doesn’t end with the pharmaceutical companies. He’s also soliciting a list of the firms’ personnel potentially involved in dialogues with tech firms or the government concerning content moderation. In addition, he’s asking for information on any government grants, contracts, or funds received.
August 1 has been set as the deadline for the companies to submit the requested records.
