In a recent twist, a federal judge has struck a blow to the Biden administration’s attempt to dismiss a free speech lawsuit, marking a win for free speech advocates. This contentious lawsuit involves Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, The Daily Wire, and The Federalist, who have accused the State Department of using foreign counter-propaganda efforts as a means to suppress American voices.
Judge Jeremy Kernodle of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas saw through the Biden administration’s attempt to dismiss the case or relocate it to a potentially more sympathetic court in Washington, D.C. Instead, he denied the request and agreed to fast-track the lawsuit as the complainants aim to uncover the full extent of what they see as the Biden administration’s underhanded tactics.
At the heart of this suit is the State Department’s Global Engagement Center. This center is accused of financing projects like the Global Disinformation Index (GDI) and NewsGuard, which have been accused of implementing restrictive blacklists against media outlets, notably right-leaning ones. These blacklists have reportedly been used to deter prospective advertisers, hampering their commercial viability.
Attorney Margot Cleveland of the New Civil Liberties Alliance describes the government’s actions as a disregard for the Constitution, decrying the secretive censorship tactics that aim to demonetize American media outlets and mute the voices of ordinary Americans.
Similarly, Paxton rebukes the State Department for its perceived attempts to silence the American press using funds intended to monitor foreign propaganda. He condemned this as an abuse of taxpayer money and a misuse of government agencies for censorship purposes.
Two main culprits, as per the plaintiffs, are GDI and Newsguard, seen as detrimental to their ad revenue. Both The Daily Wire and The Federalist have been listed by GDI as the “riskiest sites” for advertisers, while NewsGuard has given them low ratings, implicitly discouraging advertisers and users.
The plaintiffs had previously requested a preliminary injunction to halt the funding of NewsGuard and GDI during the course of the ongoing lawsuit. This move was supported by MRC Free Speech America and the Free Speech Alliance who have called for the defunding of these groups.
There is a growing outcry among conservatives, calling for greater accountability from government agencies and Big Tech. They are urging representatives to promote transparency, provide clarity on the definition of hate speech, and ensure that conservatives get equal representation. Those affected by such censorship issues are encouraged to report their experiences for further investigation into this ongoing matter.
This federal judge’s ruling marks a crucial step in the fight for free speech and against unaccounted censorship. This sets a pertinent precedent and is a testament to the efforts being made to preserve the First Amendment rights of all Americans.
