‘Twitter Files’ reporter REFUSES to reveal sources in heated hearing: Republicans hit back at Democrats for calling him ‘so-called journalist’ and Elon Musk’s stooge in tense exchange
- “The so-called reporters ‘in front of us now,'” House Ranking member Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands) said of the witnesses.
- ‘I am a journalist. I don’t reveal my sources,” said journalist Matt Taibbi
- “Having the Democrats pressure him…it’s such a violation of the First Amendment,” retorted President Jim Jordan of Ohio.
Democrats on the House subcommittee investigating the ‘militarization of the federal government’ and the subsequent release of the ‘Twitter Files’ have been accused by Chairman Jim Jordan of intimidating two reporters testifying before the committee on Thursday.
House Ranking Member Delegate Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands) made opening statements, including dismissive remarks about Matt Taibbi and Michael Shellenberger, who had unprecedented access to internal Twitter threads after Elon Musk bought the company in October 2022.
Their investigation helped create the now infamous “Twitter Files,” which allege a deep connection between Big Tech and government agencies in an effort to stifle conservative voices.
“The Republicans brought in two of Elon Musk’s public scribes,” Plaskett said and alluded to being picked as stooges for the GOP.
Armament of the Federal Government Subcommittee Ranking Member, Delegate Stacey Plaskett (D-VI) (C) talks to fellow subcommittee members, Representative Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) (L ) and Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY)
“It’s just not a question of the data provided to the ‘so-called journalists’ before us now,” as she pointed out to witnesses.
“Plaskett Ranking Member, I’m not a ‘so-called journalist,’ retorted veteran Rolling Stone journalist Taibbi, and said he was the author of ten books, “including four bestsellers of the New York Times”.
Later in the hearing, Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas) repeatedly asked Taibbi when Elon Musk first approached him and other reporters to review emails and reports. documents regarding the 2020 election and the social media giant.
“I unfortunately cannot give it to you because it is a question of sourcing and I am a journalist. I don’t reveal my sources,” Taibbi said.
Garcia insisted, “So you’re not going to tell us when Musk first approached you?”
“Again, Congressman, you’re asking a reporter to reveal a source,” Taibbi said.
“You can’t have it both ways,” Garcia said when House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, denied further requests for information.
“He’s not going to reveal his source and the fact that Democrats are pushing him to do so is such a violation of the First Amendment.”
Reporter Matt Taibbi did not reveal any sources to the panel regarding the Twitter files.
Journalist Michael Shellenberger Testifies About “Twitter Files” Before the House Special Subcommittee on Federal Militarization
Twitter is accused of having an intimate relationship with government agencies.
Speaker Jim Jordan, R-Ohio was furious with Democrats asking reporters about sources
