Tuesday, during an appearance on FNC’s “Hannity,” Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), chairman of the House Oversight Committee, blasted the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for its investigation of Elon Musk and Twitter.
The Ohio Republican lawmaker suggested the FTC was engaging in behavior that could violate the First Amendment.
“Well, the FTC called up — sent letters to a private company and asked them what journalists — who in the press are you talking to?” he said. “Now think about this, this may be the most egregious threat to the First Amendment I’ve ever seen they and this harassment of Twitter started when Elon Musk bought the company. I think 12 different letters they send in a span of like two months.”
“But the most egregious part, in my judgment, was the idea that they’re going after a journalist, and they even named personally some journalists in there who were part of the Twitter files,” Jordan continued. “Two of those individuals’ names, by the way, are going to be testifying in front of our committee on Thursday.”
“So when you’re saying what happened to Jim Baker’s, one of the questions they ask Elon Musk, who are these journalists that you’re giving access to information?” he added. “These are the four names we know. Who else have you talked to? What have you told these journalists? I don’t know that I’ve ever seen this kind of attack on First Amendment, freedom of the press, like we see in what the FTC is doing.”
Follow Jeff Poor on Twitter @jeff_poor
