Hawaii senator calls big tech congressional hearing 'a sham'

This is an unusual hearing at an unusual time. I have never seen a hearing so close to an election on any topic, let alone on something that is so obviously a violation of our obligation under the law and the rules of the Senate to stay out of electioneering. We never do this, and there is a very good reason that we don't. All people before us to yell at them for not doing our bidding during an election. It is a misuse of taxpayer dollars. What's happening here is a scar on this committee in the United States Senate, what we are seeing today is an attempt to bully the CEOs of private companies into carrying out a hit job at a presidential candidate. I'm making sure that they push out foreign and domestic misinformation meant to influence the election to our witnesses today, you, another tech leaders, need to stand up to this immoral behavior. The truth is that because some of my colleagues accused you, your companies, in your employees of being biased or liberal, you have institutionally bent over backwards and overcompensated. You've hired Republican operatives posted private dinners with Republican leaders. And in contravention of your terms of service, given special dispensation to right wing voices and even throttled progressive journalism, simply put. The Republicans have been successful in this play. And so during one of the most consequential elections in American history, my colleagues are trying to run this play again and it is an embarrassment. I have plenty of questions for the witnesses on Section 230, on antitrust on privacy on Anti-Semitism on their relationship with journalism, but we have to call this hearing what it is. It's a sham. And so for the first time in my 8 years in the United States said it, I'm not gonna use my tongue to ask any questions because this is nonsense and it's not gonna work this time. Display my colleagues are running. Did not start today and it's not just happening here in the Senate is a coordinated effort by Republicans across the government. Last May President Trump issued an executive order design to narrow the protections of Section 230, to discourage platforms from engaging in content moderation on their own sites. After it was issued, President Trump started tweeting that Section 230 should be repealed as if he understands section 230. In the last six months, President Trump has tweeted repeal Section 230, 5 times in addition to other tweets that in which he's threatened the tech companies. A few weeks later, President Trump withdrew the nomination of FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly. Republican commissioner O'Rielly question the FCC's authority to regulate under Section 230, and the statute is not unclear on this. President trump then nominated Nathan Symington, who was the drafter of NTIS petition to the FCC regarding Section 230, and Republican senators have enthusiastically participated. Since June of this year six Republican only bills have been introduced, all of which threaten platforms, ability to moderate content on their site and as the election draws closer, this Republican effort has become more and more aggressive. September 23rd DOJ unveiled its own Section 230 draft legislation, that would narrow the protections under the current law and discourage platforms from moderating content on their own site. September 14th and October 1st respectively senators Holly and Kennedy tried to pass their Republican only Section 230 bills live unanimous consent. Now what that means is they went down to the floor and without a legislative hearing without any input from Democrats at all, they tried to pass something so foundational to the Internet unanimously without any discussion an any debate. On the same day as Senator Kennedy's UC attempt, Senator Wicker forces the Commerce Committee. Not any discussion or negotiation before hand, to vote on subpoenaing the CEOs of Twitter Facebook and Google to testify. That's why we're here today. Two weeks later, on October 14th, justice Clarence Thomas, on his own issued a statement that appeared to support the narrowing of the courts interpretation on Section 230. The very next day, the FCC chairman Ajit Pai announced at the FCC would seek to clarify the meaning of Section 230. On that day, Senator Graham announced that the Judiciary Committee would vote to subpoena the tech companies over the content moderation in the context of this, in addition, everything is Senator Crew, Senator Cruises on Maria Barta Romo talking about a blockbuster story from the New York post. As senator Holly is on Fox, an on the Senate floor and the Congress committee itself is tweeting out a campaign style video that sort of alarmingly says 100 Titans emails. Text censorship on October 21st, Senator Halleria tempted to pass his bill on Section 230 VAUC again without going through any committee markup or vote, and on Friday Senetor Graham announced at the CEOs of Facebook and Twitter would testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on November 17th. This is bullying and it is 4 electoral purposes. Do not let the United States Senate bully you. It's a carrying a water for those who want to advance misinformation and don't let the specter of removing Section 230 protections or an amendment to antitrust law or any other kinds of threats cause you to be a party to the subversion of our democracy. I will be glad to participate in good faith bipartisan hearings on these issues when the election is over. But this is not that.