The conservative group America First Legal (AFL) has asked the State Department to explain whether the Biden-Harris administration had prior knowledge of or may have been involved in the arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov.
The AFL has filed two lawsuits under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). request Trump reached out to the State Department on Thursday, citing a “report” by former senior State Department official Mike Bentz, who said he had “significant reason to believe” the Biden-Harris administration may have had advance knowledge of Durov's arrest.
“There is absolutely no way that French law enforcement could have made such a geopolitically and geostrategically sensitive move without coordinating, informing and cooperating with the U.S. Embassy in Paris.” pic.twitter.com/RlyLqij2Ju
— Mike Benz (@MikeBenzCyber) August 27, 2024
One FOIA request Records and communications containing the names Pavel Durov, “Paul du Rove”, and Telegram.
It also demanded “records and documents” relating to Durov's arrest at a French airport on Saturday. The AFL argued that the Biden-Harris administration has a history of “suppressing” free speech, and implored the State Department to swiftly hand over the documents it requested to the AFL. (Related article: Europe's crackdown on free speech could be next for Americans, advocates warn)
The AFL obtained documents in January 2023 showing the Biden administration's CDC is censoring free speech with “foreign intelligence tactics.”
/1 🚨🔎 BREAKING: America First Legal has obtained new documents from a lawsuit against the CDC revealing how the Biden Administration has used foreign intelligence tactics against Americans to censor free speech.
Check out the insights gleaned from the 700+ page release ⤵️
— America First Legal (@America1stLegal) January 26, 2023
of Number 2 The FOIA requested any correspondence with French nationals using the names Pavel Durov or “Paul du Rauve” and any correspondence containing the word “telegram.” It also requested any diplomatic cables using the language Pavel Durov, Paul du Rauve, or “telegram.” It also requested “records and documents related to” Durov's arrest.
The AFL noted Durov interviewed Tucker Carlson in April.
Durov claimed that federal agents had approached him while he was in the US and tried to build a relationship with him to “gain better control over Telegram.” (Related: Flashback: Arrested Telegram founder Pavel Durov told Tucker that the US government wanted to spy on users)
Telegram Founder @Durov explain Tucker Carlson How the US government tried to secretly hire his engineers to create a “backdoor” for officials to spy on users.
“It probably wasn't the best environment for us to be running a privacy-focused social media platform.” pic.twitter.com/d8sFvmDuk4
— Tucker Carlson Network (@TCNetwork) April 16, 2024
“Freedom of speech is fundamental to human flourishing,” AFL Executive Director Gene Hamilton said in a press release. “The adoption of the First Amendment was not only a landmark for free speech in the United States;–But it also showed the world that freedom of speech is essential to fighting tyranny and oppression.”
He added that the American people have a right to know whether the Biden-Harris administration had “advance knowledge” of Durov's arrest.
The whistleblower contacted the State Department but had not received a response as of press time.
Durov was arrested in France on Saturday and charged on Wednesday. He is banned from leaving French territory.
