
Seven House Republicans announced Wednesday that they would no longer accept political donations from Big Tech companies, urging their colleagues to do the same.
The GOP members signed a “Pledge for America” which accuses several major platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google of having a “monopoly” on various markets.
“These monopolies have shown that personal liberty can be threatened by corporate tyranny just as much as by government tyranny,” the letter reads.
The pledge was launched by Congressman Ken Buck, a Republican representing Colorado.
Others joining in on the pledge include Chip Roy (R-TX), Greg Steube (R-FL), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Dan Bishop (R-NC), Burgess Owens (R-UT), and Andy Biggs (R-AZ).
Seven House Republicans Pledge To Deny Donations From Big Tech Companies
Well done @BuckForColorado, @chiproytx, @gregsteube, @jdanbishop, @RalphNorman, @RepAndyBiggsAZ, & @BurgessOwens https://t.co/8e2rhbIR39
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) April 21, 2021
RELATED: Other World Leaders Are Now Lecturing America On Free Speech After Big Tech Censorship
Accused of Censoring Conservatives
The move comes after a clear and concerted effort by social media platforms to banish conservatives and censor news stories that weren’t favorable to liberal causes.
“For years, lawmakers on the right have attacked Google, Twitter and Facebook, accusing the companies of unfairly removing content posted by conservatives,” the New York Times writes.
Nowhere was that more obvious than when Big Tech censored and removed content about a New York Post article involving emails found on Hunter Biden’s laptop. Emails that appeared to discuss shady business dealings with foreign entities using his father’s influence as Vice President.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey later admitted those actions were wrong during testimony before the Senate.
The New York Post was again silenced recently by social media platforms regarding their report on one of the founders of Black Lives Matter engaging in a $3.2 million real estate sending spree.
Big Tech companies were mentioned in an extraordinary TIME Magazine investigative piece titled, “The Secret History of the Shadow Campaign That Saved the 2020 Election.”
The report detailed how an extensive network of powerful and wealthy people ran a “shadow” campaign in order to save the election.
The secret history of the shadow campaign that saved the 2020 electionhttps://t.co/xG3S60cP2L
— TIME (@TIME) February 5, 2021
No More Big Tech Donations
Five of the seven lawmakers refusing political donations from Big Tech companies received thousands of dollars from the corporate political action committees of Google, Facebook, and Amazon in the last election cycle, according to the New York Times.
“As the lead Republican on the antitrust subcommittee working to hold Big Tech accountable for their anti-competitive and monopolistic behavior, I cannot continue to accept campaign donations from Facebook, Google, or Amazon,” Buck declared before the signing of the Pledge.
We are pledging to no longer accept campaign donations from Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple, Twitter, their Political Action Committees, or individual donations from any executive employee. https://t.co/t6cFV0R7BK
— Ken Buck (@BuckForColorado) April 21, 2021
House Republicans last week released a legislative outline to overhaul big tech regulations, essentially calling for a repeal of Section 230 for specific companies.
Former President Donald Trump has argued Section 230 “is a liability shielding gift from the U.S. to Big Tech,” and claimed it “is a serious threat to our National Security [and] Election Integrity.”
Earlier this year, several world leaders lectured Big Tech companies in America for censoring content.
In addition to the German Chancellor & Mexican President, 2 French ministers said they were “shocked” & disturbed by the spate of Silicon Valley censorship, including against Trump, calling tech giants “the digital oligarchy” & a “threat to democracy.”https://t.co/wk4HLo76J6 pic.twitter.com/ZKLGyr3lSo
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) January 11, 2021
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador slammed Twitter and Facebook for their behavior in banning Trump from the platforms.
“I don’t like anybody being censored or taking away from the right to post a message on Twitter or Facebook. I don’t agree with that, I don’t accept that,” Lopez Obrador said.
“A court of censorship like the Inquisition to manage public opinion: this is really serious,” he added.
Several of the Big Tech companies put a freeze on donations to any lawmakers who objected to certifying the election results, meaning the Pledge could be seen more as a symbolic gesture.
No, not the many Democrats who objected in 2016, just the Republicans in 2020.
Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.
The Political Insider ranks #16 on Feedspot’s “Top 70 Conservative Political Blogs, Websites & Influencers in 2021.”