Rep. Jerry Nadler Calls for Investigation into Alleged Censorship of Kamala Harris’ Campaign on X
Push for House Judiciary Committee Investigation
Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., is urging the House Judiciary Committee to investigate allegations that Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) improperly prevented users from following Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign account, @KamalaHQ. Nadler addressed a letter to committee chairman Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, highlighting concerns that “numerous users” were blocked from following Harris’ account after President Joe Biden endorsed her for president.
Concerns Over Online Censorship
“Regardless of political ideology, Americans have a protected interest in receiving Vice President Harris’ communications regarding her candidacy,” Nadler stated. He emphasized that Harris has the right to communicate with the American people as she runs for the highest office in the country. Nadler’s letter, exclusively obtained by NBC News, included screenshots of X accounts reporting error messages when trying to follow @KamalaHQ.
Evidence and Requests for Immediate Action
NBC News found 13 X accounts experiencing the “Limit reached” error message, in addition to the three accounts Nadler identified. “This suggests that X may be intentionally throttling or blocking Vice President Harris’ ability to communicate with potential voters,” Nadler wrote. He called for immediate investigation, urging Jordan to join him in seeking information from X about the issue.
Potential Implications of Censorship
Nadler’s letter raises questions about whether X is engaging in political and viewpoint discrimination by limiting users’ ability to follow Harris. He requested details from X on the number of users affected and any actions taken by X in response. Nadler also questioned if Musk had instructed X employees to restrict the account’s followers.
Elon Musk’s Involvement and House Republicans’ Response
Musk, who acquired and rebranded Twitter as X in 2022, has endorsed Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and pledged financial support to a pro-Trump super PAC. House Republicans, led by Jordan, have previously investigated alleged censorship against conservatives by Big Tech. Nadler challenged Jordan to show the same commitment to opposing suppression of political speech when it affects Democrats.
Call for Consistent Oversight
Nadler emphasized the importance of addressing alleged censorship impartially. “It is my sincere hope that you channel the same outrage and pertinacity against platform censorship of the Democratic party as you do when conservative speech is allegedly suppressed,” he wrote.