Inside the Beltway: Social media ‘conspiracy’ and big tech bias

NEWS AND OPINION:

Both Twitter and Facebook have reduced distribution of a bombshell New York Post report revealing new details of Hunter Biden’s alleged foreign dealings. The two social media giants justified their action by citing their own internal regulations.

“Conservatives have been complaining about big tech bias for years and the companies and the news media have denied it. There’s no denying it now,” says Dan Gainor, vice president of TechWatch, a project of the Media Research Center, a conservative press watchdog.

“Twitter and Facebook are involved in a conspiracy to fix the presidential election. Twitter’s bizarre defense claimed it was restricting ’content obtained through hacking,” but it set no such limits on stories about President Trump’s tax returns,” Mr. Gainor points out.

A significant study of campaign contributions made by the social media giants conducted by Joseph Vazquez — also an analyst with the Media Research Center — has telling news. He reviewed political donation records of both organizations on Open Secrets, a independent nonprofit that tracks federal campaign and lobbying data.

“Open Secrets records revealed that for ’all federal candidates,’ both Facebook and Twitter gave over 90% of their political contributions to Democrats for the 2020 cycle so far. The combined multi-million-dollar total of both platforms was split among individual employee donations and PAC money. The top recipient for both organizations was none other than Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. There is clearly no doubt where these gargantuan tech companies stand politically,” writes Mr. Vazquez.

For Twitter, that translates to $347,270 for Democrats and $3,556 for Republicans. Facebook contributed $2,409,464 to Democrats and $218,575 to Republicans.

CONSERVATIVE WOMEN MARCH FOR BARRETT

It’s called the March for All Women, it takes place Saturday afternoon on the steps of the Supreme Court and the theme is “I’m With Her.” The “her,” in this case, is not Hillary Clinton, who once used the phrase in her 2016 presidential campaign. The “her” this time is Judge Amy Coney Barrett as she awaits a vote on her nomination to the highest court in the land.

Hosted by the Independent Women’s Forum, the event includes Fox News contributor Sara Carter; Tea Party Patriots co-founder Jenny Beth Martin, Jessica Anderson, executive director of Heritage Action, author and talk radio host Tammy Bruce, and Heather Higgins, CEO of the Independent Women’s Voice, an affiliate of the host group.

“We should be able to all stand up and say that this accomplished, impressive woman deserves to be treated with respect. Yet the so-called women’s movement is standing by while the mainstream media questions if Amy Coney Barrett can be a Supreme Court justice and a good mother, in addition to vilifying her background and her faith” says Ms. Bruce whose work is featured in The Washington Times.

But wait, organizers of the massive Women’s March — which drew a million women to the National Mall in 2018 — are also planning an afternoon march in the nation’s capital on Saturday, a project that includes a “mass texting” outreach for their cause and 400 other sister marches in all 50 states.

“We need to cap off Trump’s presidency just the way it started — with massive, women-led resistance,” organizers say.

“The Women’s March is a picture of today’s feminist movement. It purports to speak for all women, but it ignores all of the women who reject its extreme progressive agenda,” counters Carrie Lukas, president of the aforementioned Independent Women’s Forum

OBAMA HAS A SAY

The Democratic National Committee is currently featuring former President Barack Obama in a new campaign spot that asks Democrats to vote early. The 30-second message has a whiff of desperation about it.

“This really is a tipping point, and that momentum only continues if we win this election. But it’s going to be close. It could come down to a handful of voters just like you,” Mr. Obama says. “So I’m asking you to bring this thing home. Leave no doubt.”

A ROYAL TUSSLE IN MISSOURI

One Republican is fed up with royal influence on the presidential election.

“Prince Harry and [Meghan Markle] are using foreign titles to campaign against President Trump and interfere with our election. Today, I asked the British Government to put a stop to it,” tweeted Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri this week, revealing that he sent a letter to Karen Pierce, the British ambassador to the U.S., to protest a national TV spot featuring the royal pair urging Americans to vote and “reject hate speech, misinformation and online negativity.”

The lawmaker said the political message was “thinly disguised,”and “represents a serious breach of the British Royal Family’s policy of political neutrality and an inappropriate act of domestic interference by one of our closest allies.”

Mr. Smith suggested the British government stop such political commentary, or relieve the royals of their royal titles.

“Missourians in the 8th District are dying. Their hospitals are closing. Their jobs are leaving. COVID cases are skyrocketing. Voter suppression is rampant. And THIS is what Jason Smith is worried about,” tweeted Kathy Ellis, a Democrat currently running against Mr. Smith in Missouri’s 8th Congressional District.

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POLL DU JOUR

• 72% of registered U.S. voters say Judge Amy Coney Barrett is “conservative”; 75% of Republicans, 70% of independents and 71% of Democrats agree.

• 48% overall say she is qualified to serve on the Supreme Court; 83% of Republicans, 55% of independents and 15% of Democrats agree.

• 29% overall are not sure if she is qualified; 16% of Republicans, 28% of independents and 39% of Democrats agree.

• 23% overall say she is not qualified; 1% of Republicans, 17% of independents and 46% of Democrats agree.

Source: An Economist/YouGov poll of 1,500 registered U.S. voters conducted Oct. 11-12.

• Follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @HarperBulletin.