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Democrats attack 'so-called journalists' at 'Twitter Files' hearing

  

Category:  News & Politics

Via:  vic-eldred  •  last year  •  56 comments

By:   Josh Christenson (New York Post)

Democrats attack 'so-called journalists' at 'Twitter Files' hearing
"Twitter Files" reporters Matt Taibbi and Michael Shellenberger held firm Thursday against an onslaught of attacks from Democrats who referred to them as "so-called journalists" and demanded they give up their sources during a tense House subcommittee hearing.

S E E D E D   C O N T E N T



"Twitter Files" reporters Matt Taibbi and Michael Shellenberger held firm Thursday against an onslaught of attacks from Democrats who referred to them as "so-called journalists" and demanded they give up their sources during a tense House subcommittee hearing.

"The Republicans have brought in two of [Twitter CEO] Elon Musk's public scribes to release cherry-picked, out-of-context emails and screenshots designed to promote his chosen narrative — Elon Musk's chosen narrative — that is now being parroted by the Republicans," said Delegate Stacey Plaskett (D-USVI), the ranking member of the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government.

Plaskett — who could be described as a "so-called congresswoman" since she cannot vote on the House floor — then dismissed Taibbi, 53, a veteran Rolling Stone journalist, and Shellenberger, 51, an author of award-winning books, as "so-called journalists" whose reporting contained no bombshell revelations.

"Three weeks ago, House Oversight had this hearing with actual Twitter executives, who had actual firsthand knowledge about what happened in 2020," she said in her opening statement.

At-large Virgin Islands Delegate Stacey Plaskett slandered Taibbi, a veteran Rolling Stone journalist, and Shellenberger, an author of award-winning books.C-SPAN

"And that didn't go so well for the House Republicans because real evidence showed that there wasn't coordination between Twitter and the federal government as they like the American people to believe."

She claimed "all the so-called 'Twitter Files' really showed was a discussion on content moderation" and that Taibbi and Shellenberger were only chosen by Republicans to "help them out politically."

"Ranking member Plaskett, I'm not a so-called journalist," Taibbi shot back.

"I've won the National Magazine Award, the I.F. Stone Award for Independent Journalism, and I've written 10 books, including four New York Times bestsellers."

Plaskett also downplayed reports of astounding overreach by the Federal Trade Commission.C-SPAN

Plaskett also downplayed revelations earlier this week that the Federal Trade Commission had demanded Musk turn over the names of all reporters who were granted access to Twitter's internal records.

"On Tuesday, the majority released an 18-page report claiming to show that the FTC is, quote, 'harassing' Twitter," the delegate said before sarcastically adding: "Oh my, poor Twitter."

Taibbi had criticized his "former colleagues in mainstream media" for failing to cover the FTC demands, adding that it was "particularly infuriating" since he and his "Twitter Files" colleagues had neither "asked for nor received access to private user data" — the agency's ostensible justification for the request — even as "the Files themselves are full of instances of government agencies improperly asking for the same."

"Which journalists a company or its executives talks to is not remotely the government's business," Taibbi said on Twitter. "This is an insane overreach."

"Ranking member Plaskett, I'm not a so-called journalist," Taibbi shot back. C-SPAN

Other Democrats showed a similar disdain for Taibbi's guarding of his sources during the Thursday hearing.

"What was the first time that Mr. Musk approached you about the writing of the Twitter Files?" asked Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas) later in the hearing. "I just need a date, sir."

"I can't give it to you, unfortunately, because this is a question of sourcing, and I don't give out — I'm a journalist; I don't reveal my sources," Taibbi said.

Plaskett claimed Taibbi and Shellenberger were only chosen by Republicans to "help them out politically."C-SPAN

"It's not a question of sources — it's a question of chronology," she responded.

"No, that's a question of sourcing," he said.

"So you're not going to tell us when Musk approached you?" she asked again.

"Again, Congresswoman, you're asking a journalist to reveal his sources," Taibbi said.

"So then you consider Mr. Musk to be the direct source of all of this," Garcia said.

"No, now you're trying to get me to say that he is the source," Taibbi responded. "I just can't answer your question."

"Well, he either is or he isn't," she said. "If you're telling me you can't answer because it's your source, well then the only logical conclusion is that he is, in fact, your source."

"Well, you're free to conclude that," Taibbi said, before Plaskett and subcommittee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) jumped in.

"What he has said is he is not going to reveal his source," Jordan said, "and the fact that the Democrats are pressuring him to do so is such a violation of the First Amendment."

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) also sought to discredit Taibbi's reporting by citing the mere fact that he agreed to testify before the GOP-controlled committee.

"Being a Republican witness today certainly casts a cloud over your objectivity," she said, before attacking the "Twitter Files" as a story "spoon-fed" by Musk to further the billionaire's priorities.

Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and ranking member Plaskett jumped in to trade barbs.C-SPAN

"Journalists should avoid accepting spoon-fed, cherry-picked information if it's likely to be slanted, incomplete, or designed to reach a foregone, easily disputed, or invalid conclusion," Wasserman Schultz went on before asking Taibbi: "Would you agree with that?"

"I think it depends," Taibbi said. "Congresswoman, I've done probably a dozen stories involving whistleblowers.

"Every reported story that I've ever done across three decades involves sources who have motives."

Wasserman Schultz said Taibbi had "crossed a line" with the "Twitter Files" by allegedly accepting Musk's invitation, and heavily implied he did so to line his pockets.

"Is it true that you have profited since you were the recipient of the Twitter Files?" she asked.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz also sought to discredit Taibbi's reporting.WireImage

The reporter responded: "I think it's probably a wash, honestly."


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Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
1  seeder  Vic Eldred    last year

The journalists who were brave enough to come forward have exposed the censorship going on at Twitter as well as the government involvement in it. Part of the Committee's focus yesterday involved Twitter employee and government communications behind the censorship of the New York Post's Hunter Biden laptop story and the banning of former President Donald Trump.

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
2  JohnRussell    last year

At this point in time Matt Taibbi can be best described as eccentric. He made his name writing on the exploitation of the US economy by the Wall St. financial class during the 2008 economic meltdown and his writings on Mitt Romney's vulture capital firm Bain. Since those days his reputation has gradually deteriorated as he has struggled to find continuing traction in the muckraking field. 

I think he has been jealous that other investigative journalists have surpassed him over the past number of years and he fell prey to ego and signed on to help Musk. 

 
 
 
Sean Treacy
Professor Principal
2.1  Sean Treacy  replied to  JohnRussell @2    last year

He’s as left wing as democrats the  attacking him, he’s just not a corporatist.

More than that he’s an actual journalist, which is intolerable to the modern left.  Since he dares report on things the left wants to keep hidden, the far left journalist is transformed into the ole standby a “right wing conspiracy theorist ” to ensure his work is ignored by obedient  party members.

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
2.1.1  JohnRussell  replied to  Sean Treacy @2.1    last year

I just finished reading a profile of Taibbi 

I think ego has gotten the better of him. In his mind he became more important than what he was covering. Much like another former "leftist" who became more conspiracy minded and more libertarian, Glenn Greenwald. 

Taibbi gradually and all at once came to believe that "cancel culture" was a bigger problem in America than Donald Trump and trumpism was. That is why he aligns himself with Elon Musk. Musk embodies Taibbi's current ideology. 

Its not the first or last time someone covering the news changed their "political" stripes and the right can have him. 

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
2.1.2  JohnRussell  replied to  Sean Treacy @2.1    last year
More than that he’s an actual journalist, which is intolerable to the modern left.

Complete nonsense. 

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
2.1.3  seeder  Vic Eldred  replied to  JohnRussell @2.1.1    last year
Much like another former "leftist" who became more conspiracy minded

"Conspiracy theorist" has become an Orwellian term.  It has been repeated 24/7 by talking heads on CNN and MSNBC for a good 6 years now. It pertains to anyone who refuses to accept the left's outrageous lies.

 
 
 
Sean Treacy
Professor Principal
2.1.4  Sean Treacy  replied to  JohnRussell @2.1.1    last year
Its not the first or last time someone covering the news changed their "political" stripes and the right can have him. 

It's like the ole soviet union, where communists attacked other as right wingers as there was the tiniest deviation from the party's policy of the moment.

Taibbi's politics haven't changed. He's just not a corporatist, which is the sine que non of the modern Democratic left, working hand and hand with corporations while attacking the stupidity of the "working class. "

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
2.1.5  seeder  Vic Eldred  replied to  JohnRussell @2.1.2    last year
Complete nonsense. 

What is?  First Amendment violations?

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
2.1.6  JohnRussell  replied to  Sean Treacy @2.1.4    last year

Corporate has nothing to do with this. He decided that "wokeism" is more of a threat to America than "trumpism". That is not compatible with being a liberal or a progressive. 

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
2.2  seeder  Vic Eldred  replied to  JohnRussell @2    last year
At this point in time Matt Taibbi can be best described as eccentric.

That must be your little interpretation of unbiased integrity?

You seem to say it about every liberal who uses the same standard for everyone.

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
2.2.1  JohnRussell  replied to  Vic Eldred @2.2    last year

I'm sure you know as much about Taibbi as you know about Jan 6 and Trump's attempt to steal the election, which is next to nothing. 

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
2.2.2  seeder  Vic Eldred  replied to  JohnRussell @2.2.1    last year

I know the truth.

Knowing the facts means I don't have to recite slogans.

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
2.2.3  JohnRussell  replied to  Vic Eldred @2.2.2    last year

I have repeatedly asked you for your "facts" concerning Trumps attempts to steal the election and you dont have any. 

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
2.2.4  seeder  Vic Eldred  replied to  JohnRussell @2.2.3    last year

There are no facts. He had no chance to steal the election. Btw it was an election that many tried to steal. A few actually interfered with it, but Trump wasn't one of them

 
 
 
Just Jim NC TttH
Professor Principal
2.2.5  Just Jim NC TttH  replied to  Vic Eldred @2.2.4    last year
He had no chance to steal the election.

And that is IT in a nutshell. NEVER would have happened without military backing like all other coups in the world. And at that, some don't succeed.

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
2.2.6  seeder  Vic Eldred  replied to  Just Jim NC TttH @2.2.5    last year

Even the Vice President wanted to certify the results ASAP!

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
2.2.7  JohnRussell  replied to  Vic Eldred @2.2.4    last year

[deleted]

 
 
 
Tessylo
Professor Principal
2.2.8  Tessylo  replied to  Vic Eldred @2.2.2    last year

LOL.  What 'truth' would that be?

 
 
 
Tessylo
Professor Principal
2.2.9  Tessylo  replied to  Just Jim NC TttH @2.2.5    last year

It's hilarious that you think because he and his domestic terrorist mobs failed at their insurrection/coup that they're not guilty.

Absolutely hilarious!

 
 
 
Just Jim NC TttH
Professor Principal
2.2.10  Just Jim NC TttH  replied to  Tessylo @2.2.9    last year

They are. He isn't. Sorry to burst your bubble but I am positive you will find another.

 
 
 
Tessylo
Professor Principal
2.2.11  Tessylo  replied to  Just Jim NC TttH @2.2.10    last year

Of course he is.  The inciter in chief of course is guilty.

 
 
 
Right Down the Center
Junior Guide
2.3  Right Down the Center  replied to  JohnRussell @2    last year
I think he has been jealous that other investigative journalists have surpassed him over the past number of years and he fell prey to ego and signed on to help Musk. 

Any proof to any of that?  Maybe Musk just felt the only way to actually get the information to the public was to go to some person or organization he felt would not try to suppress it.

 
 
 
Jack_TX
Professor Quiet
2.4  Jack_TX  replied to  JohnRussell @2    last year

So basically when he writes about things you agree with he's reputable but when he writes about things you disagree with he's "muckraking".

I wish that weren't so utterly predictable.

 
 
 
Jeremy Retired in NC
Professor Expert
3  Jeremy Retired in NC    last year
"What he has said is he is not going to reveal his source," Jordan said, "and the fact that the Democrats are pressuring him to do so is such a violation of the First Amendment."

Like Democrats give a flying fuck about  anybody's rights.  Their just pissed they got called out.

 
 
 
Snuffy
Professor Participates
3.1  Snuffy  replied to  Jeremy Retired in NC @3    last year
Like Democrats give a flying fuck about  anybody's rights.  Their just pissed they got called out.

And that's the scary part.  Politicians, especially at the federal level, should know the Constitution and people's rights.  The fact that they tried to get him to give up his First Amendment rights is so fucking scary...

 
 
 
Tessylo
Professor Principal
3.1.1  Tessylo  replied to  Snuffy @3.1    last year

Like the repulicans/gqp give a flying fuck about anybody's rights - they only care about their own.

 
 
 
Jack_TX
Professor Quiet
3.1.2  Jack_TX  replied to  Snuffy @3.1    last year
Politicians, especially at the federal level, should know the Constitution and people's rights.

They should.

But we have AOC.  We have MGT.  We have Hank Johnson who doesn't know how islands work and thinks Guam is in danger of tipping over.  We have Katie Porter, who can't do basic arithmetic.  We have Lauren Boebert. 

The idiocracy has arrived.

So expecting these people to understand the Constitution is wildly unrealistic.

 
 
 
Jeremy Retired in NC
Professor Expert
3.1.3  Jeremy Retired in NC  replied to  Snuffy @3.1    last year
The fact that they tried to get him to give up his First Amendment rights is so fucking scary...

It does appear the Democrats don't care about the 1st Amendment.  This whole hearing is into their involvement in violating it.

 
 
 
Snuffy
Professor Participates
3.1.4  Snuffy  replied to  Jack_TX @3.1.2    last year
The idiocracy has arrived. So expecting these people to understand the Constitution is wildly unrealistic.

Yes, it has arrived with a flourish.  Look at some of the posters here...

But we have AOC.  We have MGT.  We have Hank Johnson who doesn't know how islands work and thinks Guam is in danger of tipping over.  We have Katie Porter, who can't do basic arithmetic.  We have Lauren Boebert. 

Yes, those are in congress from both sides.  We really should expect more from our elected officials, but when you look at how education in this country has fallen in standards it's no surprise that people continue to elect these types of people.  

 
 
 
Sean Treacy
Professor Principal
4  Sean Treacy    last year

It’s insane.  Out of one side of democrats in congress collective  mouth,” it’s republicans are fascists” out of the other, it’s insulting journalists, demanding journalists be taken off the air, demanding journalists reveal their sources etc,.

 
 
 
Right Down the Center
Junior Guide
5  Right Down the Center    last year

"What was the first time that Mr. Musk approached you about the writing of the Twitter Files?" asked Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas) later in the hearing. "I just need a date, sir."

"I can't give it to you, unfortunately, because this is a question of sourcing, and I don't give out — I'm a journalist; I don't reveal my sources," Taibbi said.

Plaskett claimed Taibbi and Shellenberger were only chosen by Republicans to "help them out politically."C-SPAN

"It's not a question of sources — it's a question of chronology," she responded.

"No, that's a question of sourcing," he said.

"So you're not going to tell us when Musk approached you?" she asked again.

"Again, Congresswoman, you're asking a journalist to reveal his sources," Taibbi said.

"So then you consider Mr. Musk to be the direct source of all of this," Garcia said.

"No, now you're trying to get me to say that he is the source," Taibbi responded. "I just can't answer your question."

"Well, he either is or he isn't," she said. "If you're telling me you can't answer because it's your source, well then the only logical conclusion is that he is, in fact, your source."

"Well, you're free to conclude that," Taibbi said, before Plaskett and subcommittee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) jumped in.

It is bad enough when certain leftie members try to use this tactic here but it is disgusting that a member of congress would stoop so low.  "Tell me what I want to hear or I will just make shit up and draw my own conclusion".  

 
 
 
Sean Treacy
Professor Principal
5.1  Sean Treacy  replied to  Right Down the Center @5    last year

She has a lot of competition, but Garcia embarrassed herself more than anyone yesterday.    Her telling Taibbi, that she doesn't know what substack is or how it works while questioning a journalist who publishes on that site was amazing to see.  Doing two minutes of preparation before questioning a witness is apparently too much to ask her to do.

She aslo didn't know who Bari Weiss, another journalist who helped publish the Twitter Files, is.  She's one of the primary players in the whole Twitter Files story, the subject of the hearing,  and Garcia had no idea who she was. 

But hey, lets see another 50 posts today about how dumb MTG is. 

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
5.1.1  JohnRussell  replied to  Sean Treacy @5.1    last year

I'd guess that 95% of Americans dont know who either Matt Taibbi or Bari Weiss are. That hardly disqualifies the questions one may have about the topic at hand, the so-called twitter controversy. 

I dont know how dumb Garcia may or may not be, but she would need multiple lifetimes to catch up to Taylor Greene. 

 
 
 
Right Down the Center
Junior Guide
5.1.2  Right Down the Center  replied to  JohnRussell @5.1.1    last year

99.99999999999 or so percent of Americans are not questioning him as part of an investigation.  Why are you comparing the 2? Diversion perhaps?

If you don't know how dumb Garcia is how do you know she would need multiple lifetimes to catch up to MTG?

Seems your logic may be a little weak today.

 
 
 
Sean Treacy
Professor Principal
5.1.3  Sean Treacy  replied to  JohnRussell @5.1.1    last year
I'd guess that 95% of Americans dont know who either Matt Taibbi or Bari Weiss are

Those 95% of Americans aren't elected members of Congress investigating the Twitter Files.   

 
 
 
Snuffy
Professor Participates
5.1.4  Snuffy  replied to  Right Down the Center @5.1.2    last year
If you don't know how dumb Garcia is how do you know she would need multiple lifetimes to catch up to MTG?

It's progressive math.  You can redefine the value to the right of the equals sign to whatever  you feel it should be...   /s  (kind of)

 
 
 
Right Down the Center
Junior Guide
5.1.5  Right Down the Center  replied to  Snuffy @5.1.4    last year

You might be right. I just assumed it was the lefts usual in absence of facts or data just make stuff up, no sheep will know the difference.

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
6  seeder  Vic Eldred    last year

"House passes bill to protect free speech from government interference, 206 Democrats oppose."

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https://justthenews.com/government/congress/house-passes-bill-protect-free-speech-government-interference-206-democrats?utm_source=sf&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=twjs

 
 
 
Right Down the Center
Junior Guide
6.1  Right Down the Center  replied to  Vic Eldred @6    last year
"House passes bill to protect free speech from government interference, 206 Democrats oppose."

The spin of the Democrats and some people here should be entertaining.

 
 
 
Hallux
Masters Principal
6.2  Hallux  replied to  Vic Eldred @6    last year

With all undue respect, why on Earth would you choose to link to a solely one-sided article when one with more depth is available? To wit:

 
 
 
Greg Jones
Professor Participates
7  Greg Jones    last year

The scariest thing about these far left radical Democrat Congress people, is that their approach resembles the tactics of the Stalin-esque Soviet regime, or Hitler's Gestapo.

 We should all be concerned about the direction the Repressive Democrat Party is going....toward authoritarian communism

 
 
 
Tessylo
Professor Principal
7.1  Tessylo  replied to  Greg Jones @7    last year

The PD&D from some here is unreal.

 
 
 
Right Down the Center
Junior Guide
7.1.1  Right Down the Center  replied to  Tessylo @7.1    last year

And the PD&D from others around here is very real.

 
 
 
Jeremy Retired in NC
Professor Expert
8  Jeremy Retired in NC    last year

It's telling that Democrats and the left are going after journalists who publish against the Democrat narrative as "supposed journalists" but when the likes of CNN and MSNBC are called out in the same fashion Democrats and the left pitch a hissy fit.

 
 
 
Hallux
Masters Principal
8.1  Hallux  replied to  Jeremy Retired in NC @8    last year

It's even more telling that you are aping what you do not like about them.

 
 
 
Jeremy Retired in NC
Professor Expert
8.1.1  Jeremy Retired in NC  replied to  Hallux @8.1    last year

Oh, does that hurt your feelings?  Did you file a hurt feelings report?

 
 
 
Hallux
Masters Principal
8.1.2  Hallux  replied to  Jeremy Retired in NC @8.1.1    last year

Other than disinterested disdain, what makes you think I have feelings?

 
 
 
Jeremy Retired in NC
Professor Expert
8.1.3  Jeremy Retired in NC  replied to  Hallux @8.1.2    last year
what makes you think I have feelings?

Your crying in 8.1

 
 
 
Nerm_L
Professor Expert
9  Nerm_L    last year

Pretty standard Democrat playbook.  Personal attacks, doxxing, and alleging ulterior motives.  All the while completely ignoring the issue at hand.  

Democrats only search for scapegoats.  Democrats never search for solutions.

 
 
 
Tessylo
Professor Principal
9.1  Tessylo  replied to  Nerm_L @9    last year

See comment 7.1

 
 
 
Nerm_L
Professor Expert
9.1.1  Nerm_L  replied to  Tessylo @9.1    last year
See comment 7.1

What is PD&D supposed to mean?  Is that some sort of dog whistle?  Or is that just another Democrat scapegoat?

 
 
 
Jeremy Retired in NC
Professor Expert
9.1.2  Jeremy Retired in NC  replied to  Nerm_L @9.1.1    last year
What is PD&D supposed to mean?

This is dudes way of saying they have nothing intelligent to say but want to be part of the conversation.  The equivelant of a 4 year old trying to be in adult converstations.

 
 
 
Tessylo
Professor Principal
9.1.3  Tessylo  replied to  Nerm_L @9.1.1    last year

Projection, Deflection & Denial which is what you and most of your buddies here are guilty of with just about every post.

 
 
 
Nerm_L
Professor Expert
9.1.4  Nerm_L  replied to  Tessylo @9.1.3    last year
Projection, Deflection & Denial which is what you and most of your buddies here are guilty of with just about every post.

Ah, I see. So you are familiar with Democrats' playbook.

Projection (personal attacks)
Deflection (doxxing)
Denial (alleging ulterior motives)

Sorry for missing the obvious.  I guess I shoulda known.

 
 
 
Snuffy
Professor Participates
9.1.5  Snuffy  replied to  Jeremy Retired in NC @9.1.2    last year

jrSmiley_10_smiley_image.gif

 
 
 
Right Down the Center
Junior Guide
9.1.6  Right Down the Center  replied to  Nerm_L @9.1.4    last year

jrSmiley_81_smiley_image.gif

 
 

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