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Fox News reporter Peter Doocy grilled new White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre with questions about the sudden decision to shut down the “Disinformation Board.”
During the press briefing, Doocy asked about the Department of Homeland Security’s so-called “Disinformation Governance Board” being put on hold amid an outcry of free speech concerns and threats of legal action from Republican lawmakers.
Board Director Nina Jankowicz announced that she has resigned.
Doocy had a little fun with his question about it.
“Last week, you guys said that you needed this Disinformation Governance Board at DHS to make sure that freedom of speech is protected across the country and that these platforms are not used for forums of disinformation, so what changed?” Doocy asked Jean-Pierre.
Jean-Pierre said the DHS’s Disinformation Governance Board was halted because it has been “mischaracterized.”
Doocy followed up with this gem: “So, if it’s pausing because you think the board was mischaracterized, then the Disinformation Board is being shut down because of disinformation? Is that what’s happening here?”
A reporter sitting behind Doocey can be seen smirking at the question.
WATCH:
Doocy: "So, if it's pausing b/c you think the board was mischaracterized, then the Disinformation Board is being shut down b/c of disinformation? Is that what's happening here?"
KJP: "Look…it's going to pause. There's been a mischaracterations [sic] from outside forces." pic.twitter.com/KWzUHqSrrg
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) May 18, 2022
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.
“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 “1984.”
Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson announced on Twitter that he and other Republicans have issued a bill to dissolve the group.
“Today I led 50 @HouseGOP Members in introducing a bill to defund Biden’s ‘Ministry of Truth.’ 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,” he said.
Today I led 50 @HouseGOP Members in introducing a bill to defund Biden’s “Ministry of Truth.”
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. pic.twitter.com/WmCtleXIBq
— Rep. Mike Johnson (@RepMikeJohnson) May 3, 2022
“The Biden Administration’s decision to stand up a ‘Ministry of Truth,’ is dystopian in design, almost certainly unconstitutional, and clearly doomed from the start,” he said in a press release on his website. “The 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.”
“The legislation bars federal funding for DHS’ recently announced ‘Disinformation Governance Board,’ to be headed by Executive Director Nina Jankowicz,” the press release said.
“Jankowicz, who refers to herself as the ‘Mary Poppins of Disinformation,’ is a frequent purveyor of falsehoods, and appears sympathetic to the cause of censoring Americans,” it said.
“Recent falsehoods peddled by the Biden Administration include: the falsehood that Secretary Mayorkas has done an effective job managing the border crisis; the falsehood that economic contraction in Q1 of 2022 is actually hiding broad economic resiliency; the falsehood that Biden’s $3.5 trillion spending bill costs zero dollars; the falsehood that inflation is a ‘high-class problem’; and the falsehood that 70% of our current inflation is actually being caused by Vladimir Putin,” it said.
