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House Judiciary Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan penned a letter Wednesday to "demand" copies of documents that include communications between the Biden administration and social media companies as part of an investigation into what Jordan said were efforts to "suppress First-Amendment-protected speech" and censor online content.
The Ohio Republican wrote to Brian Boynton, the principal deputy assistant attorney general in the civil division, asking that copies of the documents provided in the GOP-led Missouri v. Biden civil case be produced by 5 p.m. on Feb. 22.
Jordan said the committee is conducting oversight of the executive branch's alleged "efforts to sidestep the First Amendment by coercing and coordinating with private companies, including social media platforms."
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) appears on "Meet the Press" in Washington, D.C., Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023. (Photo by William B. Plowman/NBC via Getty Images / Getty Images)
"In May 2022, the state of Missouri and the state of Louisiana sued the Biden administration to seek relief for free-speech violations. Documents produced to the states as part of this litigation include communications between Executive Branch officials and employees of social media companies," Jordan said. "These documents appear to reveal that the Executive Branch repeatedly pressured social media platforms to censor certain viewpoints."
The Department of Justice building is seen in Washington, D.C., Aug. 9, 2022. (Photo by STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Jordan wrote that Congress has an important interest in protecting and advancing fundamental free speech principles and that the Judiciary Committee, in particular, has jurisdiction under the rules of the House of Representatives over American civil liberties.
"As Congress continues to examine how to best protect Americans' fundamental freedoms, the documents discovered and produced during the Missouri v. Biden litigation are necessary to assist Congress in understanding the problem and evaluating potential legislative reforms," he said. "Accordingly, we ask that you please produce all of the documents that the Department has produced thus far in the Missouri v. Biden litigation."
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) speaks during an on-camera interview near the House Chambers during a series of votes in the U.S. Capitol Building on Jan. 9, 2023, in Washington, D.C. ((Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) / Getty Images)
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The attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana filed an 84-page lawsuit against Biden administration officials last spring over "allegedly working" with social media giants to censor and suppress free speech, including information related to COVID-19, election integrity and other topics, under what Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry claimed was the guise of combating "misinformation."
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FOX Business' request for comment from the Justice Department was not immediately returned.