The conservative group America First Legal (AFL) has launched an investigation into whether the Biden-Harris administration knew about Brazil's censorship of Elon Musk's social media platform X, and has requested documents from three US agencies.
Brazil has banned social media sites under the orders of Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. Controversy Among those defending free speech, the AFL pointed to the novelty of the Biden-Harris administration. National Strategy to Counter Domestic Terrorism Combating “fake information” and working with governments and technology companies to[address] and “terrorist content online,” according to the 2021 document. (Related article: Democratic Party leaders and liberal groups remain silent on Brazil's ban of Elon Musk's X)
The legal organisations press release Ten days before Brazil's 2022 elections, Moraes – Recently deemed a “dictator” by Elon Musk – The New York Times reported that he has been given the power to tell tech companies to censor “fake news.” Reported.
Moraes is (apparently) the unelected dictator of Brazil.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 9, 2024
CIA Director William Burns delivers message to Jair Bolsonaro – The then Brazilian President – July 2021, Reuters ReportedAccording to Reuters, the director told Brazilian officials that President Bolsonaro should “stop questioning Brazil's electoral system.”
In addition, the AFL said the Biden administration's U.S. ambassador to Brazil Elizabeth F. Bagley “Democrats Big donors According to the press release, he is a “veteran of the State Department, having served in the Carter, Clinton and Obama administrations.”
AFL filed a FOIA request United States Agency for International Development (USAID) U.S. Department of State And the Chamber of Commerce International Trade Administration (ITA).
Kohler reached out to USAID, the State Department and the Chamber of Commerce but had not received a response as of press time.
/1🚨New Research🚨
Censorship will be a cornerstone of US policy under the Biden-Harris administration.
Following Brazilian Judge Alexandre de Moraes' arbitrary order to shut down public services in Brazil, we are investigating whether the Biden-Harris Administration colluded with the Brazilian government.
Time for answers. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/rLOKjB42Kv
— America First Legal (@America1stLegal) September 10, 2024
The Freedom of Information request sought communications and records relating to the visit of Alexandre de Moraes, term “X,” the CIA director to Brazil in July 2021. It also requested information regarding Director Burns' conversations with President Bolsonaro and other Brazilian officials.
The AFL also requested information relating to the names “Diego de Lima Gualda” or “Diego Lima Gualda”.
Guarda, a lawyer and political scientist, resigned from his post as administrator of X's Brazilian chapter in April. Exit Folha in São Paulo. (Related: Legal group launches investigation into possible Biden-Harris administration involvement in Telegram CEO arrest)
Another name mentioned in the Freedom of Information Act filing is Rachel de Oliveira Vila Nova Conceição, who served as X's representative in Brazil. Exit According to an online post on Musk's social platform, Moraes allegedly threatened to have her arrested.
Last night, Alexandre de Moraes threatened the Brazilian legal representative with arrest if he did not comply with the censorship order. He did this with a secret order, but we are publishing it here to shed light on his actions.
Despite our multiple unsuccessful appeals to the Supreme Court… https://t.co/Pm2ovyydhE
— Global Government Affairs (@GlobalAffairs) August 17, 2024
The AFL also requested information on “Boolean searches” for the terms “elections,” “election systems,” “voting machines,” “sanctions” and “Bolsonaro.” Other terms queried by the AFL included Elon Musk's name, Twitter, Starlink and the words “ban,” “block” and “censor.”
Finally, the group Article from O Globo Scott Hamilton Former U.S. Consul In Rio de Janeiro.
“The American people know firsthand the dangers that come with censoring free speech online, especially given our collective experience of seeing this happen during the COVID-19 pandemic,” AFL Executive Director Gene Hamilton said in a press release.
He said Americans have a right to know whether their government has engaged in censorship of U.S. companies by a foreign government. (Related article: 'Dictator' Judge Punishes Elon Musk's Ex-Husband for Refusing to Follow 'Illegal Orders')
The AFL has launched an investigation into the Biden-Harris administration's potential role in France's arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in August.
