Inside the Beltway: Ted Cruz wants to know if tech companies censor conservatives

NEWS AND OPINION:

“Unplanned,” a new feature film that takes a stand against abortion and has been successful against the odds, gets a showcase Wednesday on Capitol Hill before the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on the Constitution, chaired by Sen. Ted Cruz. In a hearing titled “Stifling Free Speech: Technology Censorship and the Public Discourse,” the Texas Republican intends to determine if jumbo tech companies are censoring conservatives.

“They will be investigating whether social media is suppressing conservative thought and free speech,” Chuck Konzelman, the film’s writer and director, told The Hollywood Reporter, an industry publication.

The movie is based on the true story of Abby Johnson, a Planned Parenthood clinic director who resigned after witnessing an abortion on ultrasound in graphic detail. She went on to become a dedicated pro-life advocate. The film itself was produced on a $6 million budget and distributed by Pure Flix, which specializes in Christian-themed productions. The film’s producers also released “Planned from the Start,” a devotional book for women who regret they have had an abortion.

The project won instant and surprising box office support, having earned $12.5 million since its March 29 release despite sparse media coverage and an R rating. Twitter also suspended the film’s account, later reinstating it following a public outcry.

“The ridicule of the mainstream media and Hollywood is to be expected. But big tech’s attempted censorship of the story during its opening weekend is deeply troubling and revealing. I have repeatedly asked tech companies for basic data on how many voices on their social platforms are silenced and to what extent it is politically targeted. I intend to keep asking these questions, and hold them accountable,” Mr. Cruz told The Reporter.

Mr. Konzelman also questioned the timing of the Twitter suspension.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s part of a systematic bias against conservative media. We were on Twitter for nine months and an error occurred on opening weekend?” he noted.

Representatives of Twitter and Facebook plus sociology and legal experts are expected to testify, along with Marilyn Musgrave, vice president of government affairs for the pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List. The hearing will be live-streamed at 2:30 p.m. ET at Judiciary.senate.gov.

UNCOVERING THE COVER-UP

Intricate details regarding Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server during her time as secretary of state continue to emerge.

“Judicial Watch uncovered new ’cover-up’ records on the illicit Clinton email system that further demonstrate the sham nature of the FBI/DOJ ’investigation’ of her. These shocking new documents show that various Obama agencies were protecting Hillary Clinton from the consequences of her misconduct. It is well past time for the DOJ to stop shielding Hillary Clinton and hold her fully accountable to the rule of law,” says Tom Fitton, president of the watchdog group, which has uncovered 422 pages of relevant FBI documents

He says they show “evidence of ’cover-up’ discussions related to the Clinton email system within Platte River Networks, one of the vendors who managed the Clinton email system. The documents also show Intelligence Community Inspector General Charles McCullough forwarding ’concerns’ about classified information in former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s emails.”

The documents also contain Mrs. Clinton’s 2009 classified information Non-Disclosure Agreement bearing her signature.

Judicial Watch obtained the documents after filing a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the Justice Department in October 2016.

BIDEN STILL THE KINGPIN

Despite ongoing reports that he is too physically familiar with women, former Vice President Joe Biden still aces the opinion polls. So says a gargantuan Morning Consult survey of 13,644 likely primary Democratic voters in the key states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina conducted the first week of April. Mr. Biden won 35% of the vote.

Sen. Bernard Sanders is in second place with 23%, followed by Sen. Kamala Harris (9%), Beto O’Rourke (8%); Sen. Elizabeth Warren (7%) Pete Buttigieg (5%), Sen. Cory Booker (4%), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (both 2%) and Gov. Steve Bullock (1%) — to round out the top 10.

WEATHER OR NOT

Not so much global warming this week.

“Winter ended weeks ago, but for many it will feel like January as a storm threatens multiple impacts, including as much as 24 inches of snow in some places,” AccuWeather advised Tuesday. “After first sweeping through the West, the storm will rapidly strengthen across the nation’s heartland around Wednesday and Thursday, bringing everything from damaging winds to heavy snow, rain and a renewed risk of severe weather.”

FOXIFIED

Fox News Channel remains the top dog, now dominating the ratings across the entire cable realm for the 13th week in a row, according to Nielsen Media Research. And the numbers: Fox News drew 2.3 million prime-time viewers, compared to 1.2 million for MSNBC, 1.2 million for HGTV, 1.1 million for USA Network and 1 million for TBS Network — rounding out the top five. CNN was in 15th place, with 745,000 viewers.

In addition, presentations of “Hannity,” “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” “The Ingraham Angle” and “The Five” claimed 17 of the top 30 cable telecasts overall in total viewers. MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show” is now down 17% since March and down 34% compared to ratings in April 2018.

POLL DU JOUR

• 56% of Americans want the federal government to “regulate social media companies”; 58% of Republicans, 47% of independents and 66% of Democrats agree.

• 48% say social media companies are “biased” when it comes to political advertising; 68% of Republicans, 46% of independents and 36% of Democrats agree.

• 41% say the government should regulate how social media “allows groups to target advertising”; 32% of Republicans, 36% of independents and 53% of Democrats agree.

• 33% say the government should regulate how social media distributes political advertising; 32% of Republicans, 28% of independents and 40% of Democrats agree.

• 20% say social media companies are “fair and impartial” when it comes to political advertising; 16% of Republicans, 14% of independents and 31% of Democrats agree.

Source: An Economist/YouGov poll of 1,500 U.S. adults conducted March 31-April 2.

• Follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @HarperBulletin.