George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley ripped into the Biden Administration’s plan to address “disinformation” with a new government board that will fall under the Department of Homeland Security.
“Biden’s new Disinformation Governance Board is a telling replacement for the corporate censorship system,” Turley began.
Biden's new Disinformation Governance Board is a telling replacement for the corporate censorship system. https://t.co/enjVzUqirS Now Clinton is looking to the Europeans to censor social media while Biden is turning to a type of Ministry of Truth. https://t.co/oxcOiJes3U
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) April 28, 2022
Turley, who once served as a witness in former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial, also referenced former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s call for Europe to impose restrictions on speech if the United States would not do so, adding, “Now Clinton is looking to the Europeans to censor social media while Biden is turning to a type of Ministry of Truth.”
Clinton, several days earlier, had tweeted, “For too long, tech platforms have amplified disinformation and extremism with no accountability. The EU is poised to do something about it. I urge our transatlantic allies to push the Digital Services Act across the finish line and bolster global democracy before it’s too late.”
She followed that up with a congratulatory “They got it done!”
They got it done! https://t.co/Wc4kA9DPsb
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) April 25, 2022
Turley quickly pivoted back to the Biden Administration, adding, “…The Disinformation Governance Board needs a catchy slogan. How about ‘The choice for mankind lies between freedom and happiness and for the great bulk of mankind, happiness is better.’ or perhaps ‘We do not merely destroy our enemies; we change them.’ ― George Orwell, 1984.”
“…Homeland Security already has a public relations staff that answers questions as well as dozens of offices that release public information. Yet, Secretary Mayorkas wants an actual Disinformation Governance Board to put an imprimatur on what is truth and what is false,” he continued.
Turley went on to note one major point of concern — that the Executive Branch was involving itself in the regulation of free speech — and he argued that would make it “a matter for legislative debate on the use of public funds for such a purpose.”
“On final note, it may be impossible to come up with a more Orwellian title other than the Ministry of Truth,” Turley added. “Whoever decided to combine Disinformation with Governance wins the 2022 Doublespeak award.”
Turley concluded with a clip from “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” adding, “Citizens can now chose between lies and truth under the watchful eye of the Biden Administration’s Disinformation Governance Board. It is not clear what the consequences may be to those who run afoul of the DGB and the MSM, but one should chose wisely.”
…Citizens can now chose between lies and truth under the watchful eye of the Biden Administration's Disinformation Governance Board. It is not clear what the consequences may be to those who run afoul of the DGB and the MSM, but one should chose wisely. https://t.co/g2KcT3vABC
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) April 28, 2022