Inside the Beltway: Four lawmakers take on ‘cyber jihad’

NEWS AND OPINION:

A quartet of congressmen applauded Twitter for recently shutting down 2,000 accounts established by “foreign terrorist organizations” that are using an American-based social media company, they say, to fundraise, spread propaganda and recruit members.

But it’s not enough. Republican Reps. Ted Poe of Texas and Ed Royce of California, plus Democrats Brad Sherman of California and Eliot Engel of New York, don’t want to stop there. What about the other 46,000 Twitter accounts, as revealed in the “ISIS Twitter census,” a Brookings Institution metadata analysis? The researchers recommend that the U.S. government and private providers join forces to develop “appropriate responses to extremism” in social media.

“We applaud your removal of some terrorist content, which has provoked serious threats against Twitter and its employees. However, we urge Twitter to treat all terrorist activity in the same way it treats other objectionable content,” the four lawmakers wrote in a letter to Twitter CEO Dick Costolo. “Users should have the option to report terrorist content in a streamlined manner, allowing Twitter to quickly block content and accounts that support terrorism, and Twitter should have a dedicated team to review such reports in a timely fashion.”

The lawmakers are not alone in their concern. In a recent speech before the Council on Foreign Relations, CIA Director John Brennan warned that technology and social media have “greatly amplified” threats to national security.

“Twitter needs to do more. It’s time to put a stop to this cyber jihad,” says Mr. Poe.

“Twitter has systems in place to rectify copyright and trademark infringement. The least they can do is to have similar systems in place to address terrorism,” advises Mr. Sherman.

NOT SO FAST WITH THE FOREIGN AID

Of note to Americans who fret that the U.S. is sending money to nations that could have sympathies with terrorists: Rep. Ed Royce, California Republican and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has called a hearing Tuesday to review President Obama’s budget request for foreign assistance.

“We are facing increasing radicalism in the Middle East and North Africa, grave humanitarian crises in Syria, Iraq, South Sudan and the Central African Republic, Russian aggression in Europe, and growing repression of democratic voices across Africa and Latin America. There are also opportunities to increase our prosperity that we can bolster. Of course, in today’s environment, resources are limited,” says Mr. Royce.

“The bar for justifying U.S. foreign assistance must be high. It is more important than ever that U.S. foreign assistance is efficient, effective, and supports our national security. This hearing will give members an opportunity to examine the President’s budget request for the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Millennium Challenge Corporation — the agencies charged with promoting democratic values and reducing poverty through economic growth.”

HILLARY EMAILS: 65 PERCENT of AMERICANS TRACK THE STORY

It’s not the vast right wing conspiracy ramping up rumors and hearsay into a perfect storm of lousy press for Hillary Rodham Clinton. Americans themselves are tracking the unfolding controversy over Mrs. Clinton’s use of private emails during her time as secretary of state: 65 percent say they are “closely” following the story; 78 percent of Republicans and 68 percent of Democrats agree. About 54 percent deem the situation a “serious” problem. That’s where the partisan reactions kick in: 81 percent of Republicans and 32 percent of Democrats concur. More numbers from this YouGov poll at column’s end.

“If you, Hillary Rodham Clinton, are willing to cite your mother’s funeral to get sympathy for ill-advisedly deleting 30,000 emails, it just makes us want to sigh: O.K., just take it. If you want it that bad, go ahead and be president and leave us in peace. (Or war, if you have your hawkish way.) You’re still idling on the runway, but we’re already jet-lagged,” writes Maureen Dowd, a columnist for The New York Times, which first exposed the situation. “It’s all so drearily familiar that I know we’re only moments away from James Carville writing a column in David Brock’s Media Matters, headlined, ’In Private, Hillary’s Really a Hoot.’”

A GRIDIRON MOMENT

Consider the menu at the 130th Gridiron Dinner in the nation’s capital on Saturday evening, attended by 650 political, military, diplomatic, sports and media luminaries — from President Obama to Gov. Scott Walker, Rick Perry and Ben Carson. Here’s what they dined upon, verbatim from the Gridiron Club and Foundation, accompanied by a trio of fine wines:

Roasted duck salad with fennel, brandied cherries, broccoli rabe and blood orange vinaigrette; mesclun greens, bibb lettuce, smoked jalapeno dressing; medallion of beef tenderloin with demi-glace; grilled jumbo shrimp over basil lemon butter; shepherd’s pie with foie gras mashed potatoes and wild mushroom medley, white Oregon truffles; Brussels sprouts with caramelized onions, applewood smoked bacon and sweet peppers, orange-scented baby carrots; fresh berries, balsamic strawberry salad, chocolate tulip cup with lemon mousse, Gridiron petits fours. Oh, and demitasse.

Yes, that’s a lot of food.

VOIGHT’S MOMENT

“I love Israel. I want to see Israel survive and not be overtaken by the mad men of this world. President Obama does not love Israel. His whole agenda is to control Israel. In this way, he can be friends with all of Israel’s enemies. He doesn’t want Bibi Netanyahu to win this upcoming election. America has not been the same since his presidency. I beg all of you to understand the truth. We must learn from history where the true danger lies. I pray to God to keep Israel safe and America as well. Much love to you.”

— Actor Jon Voight in a video message to the public about the status of Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to JustJared.com

POLL DU JOUR

• 65 percent of Americans are following reports about Hillary Rodham Clinton’s email; 78 percent of Republicans, 57 percent of independents and 66 percent of Democrats agree.

• 56 percent overall say the situation is a “serious problem”; 81 percent of Republicans, 55 percent of independents and 32 percent of Democrats agree.

• 43 percent overall say media coverage is “making too big a deal about it”; 15 percent of Republicans, 38 percent of independents and 71 percent of Democrats agree.

• 27 percent overall say the press is not emphasizing the story enough; 51 percent of Republicans, 30 percent of independents and 5 percent of Democrats agree.

• 20 percent overall say the coverage is “about right”; 24 percent of Republicans, 20 percent of independents and 18 percent of Democrats agree.

• 15 percent overall say the email issue is “not serious at all”; 3 percent of Republicans, 15 percent of independents and 24 percent of Democrats agree.

Source: A YouGov poll of 995 U.S. adults conducted March 11-13.

• Cranky assertions, quiet asides to jharper@washingtontimes.com.