Capitol conservatives are playing a war on several fronts against the tech industry as retribution for depleting President Trump and others on the right, Congressional sources told Axios.
Why it matters: When you are in the minority, you discover who you are as a party. With Republicans now looking at Democrats, they are looking for a unifying issue. This is one, at least for now.
What we’re hearing: Members are talking again about the division of companies, revoking their legal protections and calling on their leaders to testify. They are biting their tongue, however, to prevent further damage to their brand after the siege of the Capitol.
But, but, but: Some are starting to go on the offensive against companies, at least online and in the conservative media.
- Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Who will lead Republicans on the Senate Trade Committee, demanded responses by Tuesday from CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and Twitter about their treatment of conservatives.
- During an appearance on Fox News last week, Wicker said, “He’s already bigger than Donald Trump. That amounts to stifling free speech.”
What they are saying: Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Who became the poster boy for Republican hype after the election, said Congress should consider dividing the companies and adopting Trump’s call to repeal Section 230.
- This part of the Communications Decency Act protects platforms from liability for content posted by their users.
- “We have known for some time that technology monopolies were moving to end conservative voices. Now, they have banned or censored several conservatives in a matter of days,” Hawley told Axios.
Other Republicans agree, although it is not clear what they can do in the minority in Congress.
- “President Trump’s censorship proves how much power Big Tech has over speech in America,” said Representative Ken Buck (R-Colorado). “The way forward for controlling Big Tech is to face blatant antitrust offenses and support the state’s efforts to hold these companies to account.”
Yes but: Complaints about prejudice only go so far, especially since the right-trend pages perform especially well on Facebook.
- Democrats and progressives, in particular, are complaining that Big Tech has provided safe haven for the worst elements on the right, including white supremacists.
Hill damage control: Apple contacted Republican Party offices to try to explain and justify its suspension of Parler. Facebook also contacted after banning Trump to discuss conservative censorship allegations, said a Republican Party adviser.
- Apple CEO Tim Cook told Fox News that if Parler “gets his temper,” he’ll be back on the App Store.
- For Facebook, Trump’s ban is a clear sign that the company is well aware of the rise of Democrats in Washington, but making peace with conservatives will also have to remain a priority.