The Biden State Department claimed it “stands by” its funding to a group that blacklisted conservative sites.
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) slammed the Biden State Department’s interagency Global Engagement Center (GEC) in a March letter, demanding an investigation into GEC’s $100,000 grant to the “conservative blacklister” Global Disinformation Index (GDI) – a group that blacklisted “conservative” websites, including The Daily Wire and The Federalist, according to the Washington Examiner. GEC responded to Issa in a May 26 letter about its funding of GDI, justifying its funding instead of admitting a mistake, according to the Washington Examiner.
“Mr. Secretary, the weaponization by the federal government of the term 'disinformation' for the purposes of silencing and censoring free speech must stop," Issa wrote in his March letter. "The Department of State's flagrant disregard in this case is a clear violation of Congressional intent, the principles of our democracy, and the inherent rights of all Americans.” The State Department response to Issa’s letter noted that the representative “raises several important points concerning free speech and the principles of democracy,” but otherwise denied responsibility.
Naz Durakoglu, assistant secretary for the Bureau of Legislative Affairs, wrote in the letter, “The comparatively recent proliferation of global information and communications technology accentuates a contemporary national security risk. The Department stands by the work of the GEC and the crucial role it plays in helping to ensure that foreign disinformation operations do not undermine the policies, security, or stability of the United States, its allies, and partners.”
The letter, as obtained by the Washington Examiner, included the claim that the Biden administration’s funneling of funds to GDI “focused on countering foreign disinformation overseas.” Durakoglu added that the accusation that “State Department funding may have been used to fund GDI’s work in the United States” is “inaccurate.”
The Biden administration, however, did not seem concerned that it had funded a biased entity that targeted groups for censorship in the U.S.
“It is disappointing but not surprising that the Biden State Department hasn’t come close to offering a suitable explanation or corrective action for its role in the censorship of individual Americans and established conservative media," Issa said to the Examiner. "Make no mistake: Congress isn’t done holding State [Department] accountable.”
The Global Disinformation Index, which received money from the State Department’s interagency GEC, was established to “defund and downrank” media outlets like the New York Post, The Federalist, RealClearPolitics and The Daily Wire.
Conservatives are under attack. Contact your representatives and demand that the State Department be held to account to adhere to the U.S. Constitution and that Big Tech mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency, clarity on so-called hate speech and equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored, contact us using CensorTrack’s contact form, and help us hold Big Tech accountable.
