Congressional Republicans have asked Homeland Security’s new disinformation chief to appear and brief them on how she sees her role at the helm of the controversial disinformation board.
Led by Rep. Jim Jordan, top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, the lawmakers said Nina Jankowicz is an odd choice to lead a disinformation effort, given her own past comments that seemed to spread things that were not true.
Among those are challenging the validity of the now-verified Hunter Biden laptop, and promoting information from the now-discredited, anti-Trump Steele dossier.
Republicans said she needs to answer for those.
“The establishment of the Biden administration’s Board and your appointment to lead it gives rise to considerable concerns about its effect on Americans’ fundamental civil liberties,” the Republicans wrote in a letter released Thursday. “The ability of Americans to engage in robust debate and conversation is the foundation of American politics, and there is no place for a de facto ministry of truth in our government.”
The lawmakers asked Ms. Jankowicz to appear for a briefing to defend her past comments, and to explain how she plans to approach her new role. The Republicans asked for documents about the Disinformation Governance Board’s early actions.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas revealed the board’s existence last week, setting off alarms among conservatives already feeling under assault by online speech police.
Mr. Mayorkas has spent the days since his revelation trying to rehabilitate the board’s role. He says it was set up specifically to protect free speech, not police it.
He also has called Ms. Jankowicz an “expert” on disinformation, drawing derision from Republicans who say her expertise comes from spreading it, not combating it.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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