The Biden administration is taking a whole-of-government approach to torturing new Twitter under Elon Musk into silence. Those damn Twitter Files have gotten under someone’s skin and the FTC is on the case, demanding that Twitter “identify all journalists” who have had a look. That should get someone’s attention. The FTC demand is part of a broader investigation on which the Wall Street Journal reports here (“The FTC is also seeking to depose Mr. Musk in connection with the probe”). The New York Post reports the story in accessible form here. Fox News reports on the demand for the identification of journalists here. Reader David Lunde comments in the graphic below.
Putting the Star Tribune’s search engine to work, I can’t find any story on the FTC’s “probe” of Twitter. It has picked up the AP story “Elon Musk apologizes after mocking laid-off Twitter employee.” It’s almost funny.
Glenn Reynolds doesn’t include news of the FTC “probe” in his New York Post column on the Gleichschaltung, Biden style. The FTC is playing its part to get Musk out and Twitter in line. It is a more direct approach to “coordination” than the one Glenn outlines in his analysis.
Michael Shellenberger is one of the journalists who has been given access. Elon Musk gets the last word on Shellenberger’s tweet of the Wall Street Journal story on the FTC matter. As Glenn Reynolds himself might put it: FACT CHECK: TRUE.
A shameful case of weaponization of a government agency for political purposes and suppression of the truth!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 7, 2023
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