The Supreme Court said Friday it would hear arguments in an explosive case in which lower courts ruled that the Biden administration likely violated the First Amendment by relying on social media companies to remove content that the White House deemed false or misleading.
In July, U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty, appointed by former President Donald Trump, banned numerous executive branch officials from contacting social media companies over concerns of collusion and censorship.
The Supreme Court stayed Doughty’s ruling in Missouri v. Biden until the high court decides the case.
Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas favored rejecting the Biden administration’s emergency appeal on Friday and letting the lower court order stand.
“This case concerns what two lower courts considered a ‘coordinated campaign’ by high-level federal officials to suppress the expression of unfavorable opinions on important public issues,” Alito wrote in his dissent opposing the stay.
Doughty’s ruling was upheld in September by the New Orleans-based Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, although it narrowed the scope of the district judge’s preliminary injunction. A three-judge panel concluded that the White House, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FBI “likely significantly forced or encouraged social media platforms to moderate content” and, in doing so, likely censored the freedom expression.
In July, U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty, appointed by former President Donald Trump, banned numerous executive branch officials from contacting social media companies over concerns of collusion and censorship.Nicolas Galindo/The News-Star
The appeals court removed officials from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the State Department from the injunction.
The states of Missouri and Louisiana filed the lawsuit in response to then-White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki revealing in July 2021 that the White House was “pointing out” alleged misinformation, primarily about COVID-19 vaccines. , for elimination.
“We are flagging problematic posts for Facebook that spread misinformation,” he said at the time.
Government surveillance came under more criticism last year, when it was revealed that the Department of Homeland Security had a portal through which federal officials made requests for moderation on social media, including to silence “parody accounts or accounts with virtually no follower or influence,” according to The Interceptar.
The Supreme Court stayed Doughty’s ruling in Missouri v. Biden until the high court decides the case.REUTERS
Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) and Louisiana Attorney General and Gov.-elect Jeff Landry refiled the lawsuit when Schmitt was serving as the Show-Me state’s attorney general, and both were eager Friday for their arguments were heard by high authorities. court.
“The United States Supreme Court has granted the cert in Missouri v. Biden: the highest court in the land will hear the most important free speech case in American history,” Schmitt tweeted.
“I am proud to have brought this case when I was attorney general and will always defend free speech.”
“This gives us the opportunity to state once and for all that the government is not permitted to use the government speech doctrine to dampen the expression of unfavorable views. We look forward to presenting our arguments soon,” Landry posted on X, quoting Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill.
Officials covered by Doughty’s order included 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 does not agree with this decision” and “will continue to promote responsible actions to protect public health and safety when faced with challenges such as a deadly pandemic and foreign attacks on our elections.” “
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Source: vtt.edu.vn