The Supreme Court said Friday it will hear arguments in a major case in which a lower court has ruled that the Biden administration may be violating the First Amendment by leaning on social media companies to pull content deemed false or misleading to the White House.
In July, US District Judge Terry Doughty, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, barred many executive branch officials from contacting social media companies over concerns of collusion and censorship.
The Supreme Court upheld Doughty’s decision in Missouri v. Biden until the high court decides the case.
Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas chose to reject an emergency appeal from the Biden administration on Friday and let the lower court’s order stand.
“This case involves what two lower courts found to be a ‘coordinated campaign’ by high federal officials to suppress the expression of unpopular views on important public issues,” Alito wrote in his opinion opposing the stay.
Doughty’s decision was upheld by the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in September, although it narrowed the scope of the district judge’s earlier injunction. The three-judge panel found that the White House, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FBI “are more likely to force or encourage social media platforms to moderate content” and in doing so, potentially censor free speech.
In July, US District Judge Terry Doughty, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, barred many executive branch officials from contacting social media companies over concerns of collusion and censorship. Nicolas Galindo/The News-Star
The appeals court released officials from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency and the State Department from the injunction.
The states of Missouri and Louisiana brought the lawsuit in response to then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki revealing in July 2021 that the White House had “marked” allegations of misinformation, particularly about the COVID-19 vaccine, for removal.
“We flag problematic posts for Facebook that spread misinformation,” he said at the time.
Government policing received further pushback last year, when it emerged that the Department of Homeland Security had a portal through which federal officials made social media moderation requests, including to delete “parody accounts or accounts with virtually no followers or influence,” according to The intercept.
The Supreme Court upheld Doughty’s decision in Missouri v. Biden until the high court decides the case.REUTERS
Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) and Louisiana Attorney General and future Gov. Jeff Landry brought back the lawsuit when Schmitt served as attorney general for the Show-Me State, and both were eager Friday to have their arguments heard. by superiors. court.
“The United States Supreme Court granted cert in Missouri v. Biden – the nation’s highest court will hear the most important free speech case in American history,” Schmitt wrote on Twitter.
“I am proud to have filed this case during my time as AG, and will always defend free speech.”
“This gives us an opportunity to confirm once and for all that the government is not allowed to use the government speech doctrine to silence unpopular views. We look forward to making our arguments soon,” Landry posted on X, citing Louisiana Solicitor General Liz Murrill.
Officials covered by Doughty’s order include White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, Justice Department and FBI employees, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy.
Jean-Pierre told reporters in July that the Biden administration “certainly disagrees with this decision” and will “continue to promote responsible actions to protect public health, safety and security when faced with challenges such as deadly pandemics and foreign attacks on our elections.” “
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
