![Judges on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals are being told that Twitter – back in the day before it was turned over to new owner Elon Musk – actually was "enforcing the Biden administration's policy" when it censored information about COVID-19.](https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Large_Clark-County-Today-Judges-told-Twitter-was-enforcing-Biden-administration-policy-in-censoring-COVID-data.jpg)
Speech limits under instructions from the government violates 1st Amendment
Bob Unruh
WND News Center
Judges on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals are being told that Twitter – back in the day before it was turned over to new owner Elon Musk – actually was “enforcing the Biden administration’s policy” when it censored information about COVID-19.
It would be legal for Twitter, a private company, to decide what it does and does not allow on its platform.
But when it acts to enforce a government mandate in concert with the government, it becomes subject to the First Amendment’s requirements.
Officials with the American Freedom Law Center say they have petitioned for rehearing of their case before the 9th Circuit panel, as well as the full court.
The federal civil rights action, a class action case, is against Twitter and Joe Biden.
It charges “Twitter censored speech critical of the administration’s COVID-19 vaccination policy on behalf of the Biden administration in violation of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.”
It was Dr. Colleen Huber who posted a statement from a well-known Israeli newspaper reporting on findings of mortality rates relating to the COVID-19 vaccinations used in Israel.
Twitter responded by suspending Huber permanently.
It accused Huber, a well-respected and licensed naturopathic medical doctor in Arizona, of violating Twitter’s “policy.”
But, said the AFLC, “Twitter was in reality enforcing the Biden administration’s policy to silence anyone critical of COVID-19 vaccinations. Given the recent publication of the Twitter files outlining the White House-Twitter cozy censorship ‘partnership,’ the fact of an illegal conspiracy between the Biden administration and Twitter for Twitter to censor speech critical of the COVID vaccine policies on behalf of the government should surprise no one.”
The legal team said it was no surprise that a district court in California, “in Twitter’s backyard,” ignored compelling evidence of a conspiracy between Biden and Twitter, and ruled against the doctor.
On appeal, a panel made up of two judges appointed by the far-left Barack Obama, and a third appointed by Bill Clinton, left the result unchanged.
So, the AFLC said, its lawyers “filed a petition to have the matter reconsidered by the panel or reheard by the Ninth Circuit ‘en banc’ (i.e., all of the judges of the circuit*) because the panel’s decision not only contradicts Supreme Court and Ninth Circuit precedent, it mishandled a critically important First Amendment case. “
The new petition charges that what needs to be resolved is the government’s decision to use “private actors to censor speech of which the government disapproves”
“In contemporary times, this question takes on enormous consequences for liberty in general, political freedom in particular, and free speech most particularly. Large social media platforms and their concentration of economic power are relatively new to the law. Their unique ability to control the social and political messaging of public sentiment through hidden algorithms and even outright censorship has become a battleground for those in different and even adversarial political camps.”
Also read:
- Harvest Days in Battle Ground coming up July 19-21The Battle Ground Festivals Association is preparing for three days of celebration, including a car cruise on Friday night, a parade on Saturday, and fireworks on Saturday night at Harvest Days.
- Organizers looking for cars for Cruise to the Shoug show on Aug. 454-40 Brewing Co. is hosting Cruise to the Shoug on Aug. 4 as a fundraiser for the Camas-Washougal Community Chest, and organizers are looking for car owners to book their spots for the show.
- Trump picks Ohio’s J.D. Vance for vice presidentFormer President Donald Trump picked U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, to serve as his vice president should Trump beat President Joe Biden this November for another term in the White House.
- Children with disabilities make memories at the 24th annual Merwin Day of FishingOn Saturday (July 13), Pacific Power and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife joined together to host a memorable fishing event for children with disabilities at the Merwin Fish Hatchery near Woodland.
- Letter: For the public record and the Comprehensive PlanIn a July 12 letter to the Clark County Council, Clark County Citizens United President Susan Rasmussen shares that primary stakeholders were ignored in the Wetland and Habitat Ordinance Conservation Covenant.
- CASE DISMISSED: Classified documents case against Trump thrown out by judgeA federal judge in Florida dismissed the classified documents-related criminal case against former President Donald Trump on Monday, saying the appointment of Special Counsel Jack Smith violated the Constitution.
- Photos: Log show and parade at Territorial Days 2024 in AmboyTerritorial Days in Amboy never disappoints, and this weekend brought all kinds of activities in logging country, and Clark County Today had a photographer there to capture images from the annual parade and log show.