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Biden Admin ‘Pauses’ So-Called ‘Disinformation’ Board Amid Free Speech Concerns

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OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.


The Department of Homeland Security’s so-called “Disinformation Governance Board” is being put on hold amid an outcry of free speech concerns and threats of legal action from Republican lawmakers.

According to theĀ Washington Post, the “Disinformation Governance Board” Director Nina Jankowicz will resign.

Jankowicz has been heavily criticized for pushing debunked Trump-Russia collusion theories as well as stories about the unverified Steele dossier.

The outlet reported that DHS made the decision on Monday and that Jankowicz drafted her resignation letter.

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“After six years dedicated to the study of disinformation and best practices in responding to it, I joined the Department of Homeland Security to be the executive director of the Disinformation Governance Board with the intention of supporting the Department’s important work addressing disinformation that affects the homeland,” Jankowicz said.

“With the Board’s work paused and its future uncertain … I have decided to leave DHS to return to my work in the public sphere. It is deeply disappointing that mischaracterizations of the Board became a distraction from the Department’s vital work, and indeed, along with recent events globally and nationally, embodies why it is necessary. I maintain my commitment to building awareness of disinformation’s threats and trust the Department will do the same,” Jankowicz added.

Republicans took aim at the Disinformation Governance Board earlier this month, with some critics calling it the “Ministry of Truth,” a reference to the organization that policed speech in the George Orwell book ā€œ1984.ā€

Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson announced on Twitter that he and other Republicans have issued a bill to dissolve the group.

ā€œToday I led 50 @HouseGOP Members in introducing a bill to defund Bidenā€™s ā€˜Ministry of Truth.ā€™ The government has no role in determining what constitutes truth or acceptable speech, and this dystopian, unconstitutional board must be dissolved. If Biden won’t do it, then we will,ā€ he said.

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ā€œThe Biden Administrationā€™s decision to stand up a ā€˜Ministry of Truth,ā€™ is dystopian in design, almost certainly unconstitutional, and clearly doomed from the start,ā€ he said in a press release on his website. ā€œThe government has no role whatsoever in determining what constitutes truth or acceptable speech. President Biden should dissolve this board immediately and entirely. If he won’t then Republicans will.ā€

ā€œThe legislation bars federal funding for DHSā€™ recently announced ā€˜Disinformation Governance Board,ā€™ to be headed by Executive Director Nina Jankowicz,ā€ the press release said.

ā€œJankowicz, whoĀ refersĀ to herself as the ā€˜Mary Poppins of Disinformation,ā€™ is a frequentĀ purveyorĀ of falsehoods, and appearsĀ sympatheticĀ to the cause of censoring Americans,ā€ it said.

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ā€œRecent falsehoods peddled by the Biden Administration include: theĀ falsehoodĀ that Secretary Mayorkas has done an effective job managing the border crisis; theĀ falsehoodĀ that economic contraction in Q1 of 2022 is actually hiding broad economic resiliency; theĀ falsehoodĀ that Bidenā€™s $3.5 trillion spending bill costs zero dollars; theĀ falsehoodĀ that inflation is a ā€˜high-class problemā€™; and theĀ falsehoodĀ that 70% of our current inflation is actually being caused by Vladimir Putin,ā€ it said.

In addition to Rep. Johnson, the bill was signed by: Reps. Ben Cline (VA), Bill Posey (FL), Andrew Clyde (GA), Mary Miller (IL), Andy Biggs (AZ), Mike Kelly (PA), John Rutherford (FL), Jeff Van Drew (NJ), Markwayne Mullin (OK), Mike Rogers (AL), Scott Franklin (FL), Dan Bishop (NC), Mike Carey (OH), Marjorie Taylor-Greene (GA), Tom Emmer (MN), Russ Fulcher (ID), David McKinley (WV), Jodey Arrington (TX), Elise Stefanik (NY), Jim Banks (IN), Darrell Issa (CA), Diana Harshbarger (TN), Debbie Lesko (AZ), Doug Lamborn (CO), Rick Crawford (AR), Rob Wittman (VA), Bob Good (VA), Tom McClintock (CA), Greg Murphy (NC), Yvette Herrell (NM), Vern Buchanan (FL), Scott Perry (PA), Clay Higgins (LA), Nicole Malliotakis (NY), Jeff Duncan (SC), Alex Mooney (WV), Glenn Grothman (WI), Troy Balderson (OH), Brian Babin (TX), John Rose (TN), Rodney Davis (IL), Lauren Boebert (CO), Ted Budd (NC), John Moolenaar (MI), Louie Gohmert (TX), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA), Brad Wenstrup (OH), Jason Smith (MO), and Ann Wagner (MO).

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