Chris Wray’s testimony on Capitol Hill on Wednesday showcased his expertise in avoiding answering questions and stonewalling congressional oversight. Despite the multitude of reasons for him to acknowledge the FBI’s abuses of power during his tenure, Wray relied on familiar evasive phrases like “ongoing investigation” and “I can’t comment on personnel matters.” He refused to acknowledge the FBI’s collusion with social media companies to censor Americans, even in the face of a landmark free speech case. US District Judge Terry Doughty’s ruling on July 4 described the federal government’s involvement as an “Orwellian Ministry of Truth” and labeled it one of the most significant attacks on free speech in US history.
When confronted about the FBI’s regular meetings with social media companies leading up to the 2024 election, Wray denied their purpose was to police election-related speech. However, he did acknowledge that these meetings were on hold due to Judge Doughty’s injunction. The FBI’s increasing censorship and abuse of surveillance powers has severely damaged its trust rating with the public. This is why Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan is advocating against providing $24 billion for a new FBI headquarters and instead proposes moving the agency to an existing building in Huntsville, Alabama.
Moreover, Republicans are now considering not reauthorizing the warrantless surveillance program under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), as it has been misused to spy on thousands of Americans instead of its intended purpose of monitoring foreigners. Over 100,000 Americans were spied on in 2022, compared to 3 million in the previous year. This surveillance extended to individuals associated with the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, as well as Black Lives Matter affiliates and donors linked to a congressional candidate.
Meanwhile, three senators announced legislation aimed at preventing future collusion between the federal government and Big Tech. Senator Eric Schmitt criticized the Biden administration for appealing the ruling, stating that it insulted the American people. He emphasized the importance of combating speech through engaging in more speech, rather than resorting to censorship. Schmitt, along with Senators J.D. Vance and Bill Hagerty, unveiled forthcoming legislation to solidify the injunction and impose penalties on social media companies that persist as publishers.
The scope of censorship by Big Tech, backed by the federal government, is unprecedented in American history. This censorship directly threatens Americans’ fundamental freedom of speech and undermines the essence of democracy. The repercussions of this censorship are far-reaching, affecting vital discussions on issues such as COVID-19, masks, lockdowns, vaccines, and even Hunter Biden’s laptop. The collaboration between Big Tech and the government prevented proper debates and harmed American schoolchildren’s socialization, contributing to increased depression among young people.
It is crucial to ask ourselves which poses a greater threat to our democracy: the voting choices of citizens or the influence of technology companies with ties to communist China, working hand in hand with the FBI to censor the American people? It is both alarming and disconcerting that such power is held by the government and tech giants. Equally troubling is the fact that the face of this censorship is embodied by a bureaucrat like Chris Wray, who fails to comprehend the gravity of the situation.
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