Disinformation Inc: These congressional committees are investigating the conservative blacklists
- February 24, 2023
Gabe Kaminsky, Washington Examiner
EXCLUSIVE — Following multiple Washington Examiner “Disinformation Inc.” reports, a handful of congressional committees are investigating or mulling inquiries into the State Department bankrolling a “disinformation” tracking group that has been secretly blacklisting conservative news outlets.
The State Department-backed Global Engagement Center and National Endowment for Democracy granted roughly $665,000 combined between 2020 and 2021 to the Global Disinformation Index, records show. Now, several committees led by Republicans are launching investigations or considering next steps to obtain information regarding this funding, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
Rep. James Comer (R-KY), chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, has continued to investigate Twitter’s suppression of a 2020 New York Post story based on Hunter Biden’s abandoned laptop. As part of Comer’s inquiry into alleged online censorship, the congressman sent a letter to the State Department on Thursday demanding documents and a briefing in connection to federal funds flowing to GDI.
“Though the agencies can deny they are funding this activity, money is fungible, and these organizations can claim the government’s stamp of approval for their operations,” Michael Chamberlain, director of Protect the Public’s Trust, a watchdog group that has filed several public records requests to the government over GDI funding, told the Washington Examiner on Wednesday