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  • Free speech concerns mount over DHS 'disinformation' board

    From Johnny@21:1/5 to All on Sat Apr 30 08:36:28 2022
    By Kelly Laco
    Published April 30, 2022

    Federal and state lawmakers, constitutional scholars and other experts
    are expressing concerns with the Department of Homeland Security's new misinformation board, which they say is the Biden administration's
    attempt to stifle free speech.

    Cut!

    Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., was quick to condemn this latest action by the
    Biden administration, promising to introduce legislation to defund the
    new disinformation board.

    "The Federal Government has no business creating a Ministry of Truth.
    The Department of Homeland Security's "Disinformation Board" is unconstitutional and unamerican, and I'll be introducing a bill to
    defund it," he tweeted Friday.

    Cut!

    "The same party that spent years promoting the Russia collusion hoax, suppressed the Hunter Biden laptop story, & equated parents to
    terrorists believes it has credibility to control your speech," House
    Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., tweeted on Friday. "Biden
    must immediately abandon his plan to create an Orwellian Ministry of
    Truth."

    https://www.foxnews.com/politics/free-speech-concerns-dhs-disinformation-board-lawmakers-critics

    Is this misinformation board unconstitutional?

    Does the First Amendment forbid all departments of government from
    interfering with free speech, or does it just limit what Congress can
    do?

    What if this board decides to subpoena people and have them explain why
    they are spreading disinformation? Would this be unconstitutional?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Josh Rosenbluth@21:1/5 to Johnny on Sat Apr 30 10:26:17 2022
    On 4/30/2022 6:36 AM, Johnny wrote:

    By Kelly Laco
    Published April 30, 2022

    Federal and state lawmakers, constitutional scholars and other experts
    are expressing concerns with the Department of Homeland Security's new misinformation board, which they say is the Biden administration's
    attempt to stifle free speech.

    Cut!

    Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., was quick to condemn this latest action by the
    Biden administration, promising to introduce legislation to defund the
    new disinformation board.

    "The Federal Government has no business creating a Ministry of Truth.
    The Department of Homeland Security's "Disinformation Board" is unconstitutional and unamerican, and I'll be introducing a bill to
    defund it," he tweeted Friday.

    Cut!

    "The same party that spent years promoting the Russia collusion hoax, suppressed the Hunter Biden laptop story, & equated parents to
    terrorists believes it has credibility to control your speech," House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., tweeted on Friday. "Biden
    must immediately abandon his plan to create an Orwellian Ministry of
    Truth."

    https://www.foxnews.com/politics/free-speech-concerns-dhs-disinformation-board-lawmakers-critics

    Is this misinformation board unconstitutional?

    Does the First Amendment forbid all departments of government from interfering with free speech, or does it just limit what Congress can
    do?

    What if this board decides to subpoena people and have them explain why
    they are spreading disinformation? Would this be unconstitutional?

    The First Amendment applies to all branches and levels of government.
    Such a subpoena would be unconstitutional.

    That being said, the charge of a "Ministry of Truth" is a talking-point
    straw man. It almost certain such a board would do nothing more than
    express its opinion that lies are being spread, something that not only
    the First Amendment allows, but is the right thing to do (fight bad
    speech with more speech).

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Johnny@21:1/5 to Josh Rosenbluth on Sat Apr 30 17:16:57 2022
    On Sat, 30 Apr 2022 10:26:17 -0700
    Josh Rosenbluth <noway@nowhere.com> wrote:

    On 4/30/2022 6:36 AM, Johnny wrote:

    By Kelly Laco
    Published April 30, 2022

    Federal and state lawmakers, constitutional scholars and other
    experts are expressing concerns with the Department of Homeland
    Security's new misinformation board, which they say is the Biden administration's attempt to stifle free speech.

    Cut!

    Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., was quick to condemn this latest action by
    the Biden administration, promising to introduce legislation to
    defund the new disinformation board.

    "The Federal Government has no business creating a Ministry of
    Truth. The Department of Homeland Security's "Disinformation Board"
    is unconstitutional and unamerican, and I'll be introducing a bill
    to defund it," he tweeted Friday.

    Cut!

    "The same party that spent years promoting the Russia collusion
    hoax, suppressed the Hunter Biden laptop story, & equated parents to terrorists believes it has credibility to control your speech,"
    House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., tweeted on Friday.
    "Biden must immediately abandon his plan to create an Orwellian
    Ministry of Truth."

    https://www.foxnews.com/politics/free-speech-concerns-dhs-disinformation-board-lawmakers-critics

    Is this misinformation board unconstitutional?

    Does the First Amendment forbid all departments of government from interfering with free speech, or does it just limit what Congress
    can do?

    What if this board decides to subpoena people and have them explain
    why they are spreading disinformation? Would this be
    unconstitutional?

    The First Amendment applies to all branches and levels of government.
    Such a subpoena would be unconstitutional.

    That being said, the charge of a "Ministry of Truth" is a
    talking-point straw man. It almost certain such a board would do
    nothing more than express its opinion that lies are being spread,
    something that not only the First Amendment allows, but is the right
    thing to do (fight bad speech with more speech).


    I don't think an opinion is going to be good enough, they better have
    proof. Calling someone a liar can lead to a lawsuit.

    I want to see how the board informs the public of what it considers misinformation. If they setup a website, I will never see it, if it's
    done during press conference, I might see it.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)