Conservative Devin Nunes, former representative in the House of Representatives and current CEO of the Truth Social network, claims the Biden administration’s new “Disinformation Governance Board” is attacking free speech in general and his platform specifically.
With the launch of Truth Social, rise of alternative platforms (such as Rumble and BitChute), and takeover of Twitter’s ownership and vow to move back toward free speech, Nunes boldly claimed:
“I think it’s so Orwellian, so dystopian, something you only see in dictatorships that now, they’re going to set up some type of disinformation board. I think that’s a direct attack on what we are doing at Truth Social, because we can no longer be canceled.”
Nunes shared his comments when speaking to Maria Bartiromo on the Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” show.
The launch of the Disinformation Governance Board, took many by surprise, including White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki who, when asked by a reporter to provide details, declared she and the administration endorse the new Board, but then acknowledged she did not know what they would be doing or how.
Further, the following has cast doubt and speculation regarding the true mission of the Board, which is backed by the Homeland Security Department’s massive $97.3 billion annual budget:
- During a speech at Stanford University on April 21 (just days before the Biden administration announced the launch of the Disinformation Governance Board), former President Barack Obama said the government needed to step in and regulate content on the internet. This led former Rep.Tulsi Gabbard to suggest that “Biden is Obama’s frontman.”
- The timing is suspect: The Disinformation Governance Board was announced only after the successful launch of Truth Social, the phenomenal growth of a number of alternate free speech platforms, and the recent buyout of Twitter by Elon Musk. This has led many to suggest that Democrats seek to limit free speech in a desperate attempt to continue to control the narrative.
- Nina Jankowicz, the new director of the Disinformation Governance Board, has a history of advocating “woke” policies, advancing false narratives (such as the Hunter Biden laptop story being Russian disinformation), and criticizing free speech.
According to the Washington Examiner, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas attempted to defend the decision to create the Board and assure Americans saying the “Board won’t monitor U.S. citizens.”
His statement assured few, and his follow-up comment that the Board’s new Director, Jankowicz, was “eminently qualified,” a “renowned expert,” and “neutral” puts his discernment skills in question.
Republicans have responded to the creation of the Disinformation Governance Bord by comparing it to the Ministry of Truth in George Orwell’s book “1984.”
Nunes provided this assessment:
“We’re going to protect our users from this new phony government disinformation service, and the fact that they would use some D-rated TikTok star that is the queen of disinformation herself on the Russia hoax and the laptop from hell to head up is really the height of hypocrisy that’s so unbelievable.”
