Sen. Rand Paul on Thursday accused YouTube of censoring his speech from the Senate floor last week about the impeachment trial — a speech in which he mentioned a name some believe to be the whistleblower who ignited the investigation into President Trump.
Mr. Paul called it “chilling and disturbing” for the media giant to pull down his video.
He pointed out that while he mentioned names and connections, he never identified anyone as being the whistleblower. He said he doesn’t actually know the whistleblower’s name.
“Now, even protected speech, such as that of a senator on the Senate floor, can be blocked from getting to the American people. This is dangerous and politically biased,” he said.
“Apparently, YouTube has taken it upon itself to decide what questions can even be asked in the public debate, including on the Senate floor,” the Kentucky Republican added.
YouTube defended its move, saying that’s its policy.
“Videos, comments, and other forms of content that mention the leaked whistleblower’s name violate YouTube’s Community Guidelines and will be removed from YouTube,” said Ivy Choi, a spokesperson. “We enforce our policies consistently without regard to political leaning and have removed hundreds of videos and over ten thousand comments that contained the name.”
The spokesperson did not say how YouTube knew the name of the whistleblower.
Immigration enforcement officials search Ilhan Omar’s home in pre-dawn raid
Trump’s backyard is quietly transforming into ‘Silicon Valley South’ as wealthy Americans flock in
Jim Justice could shake up West Virginia politics with ‘clash of the titans’ 2028 governor run
Suspect in deadly Philadelphia police ambush faces 76 charges, ordered held without bail
Maduro-linked fugitive nabbed over alleged scheme to cash in on Venezuelans’ basic needs
Pregnant mom just 4 days from giving birth among 8 killed in Pennsylvania massacre: reports
Minnesota homecoming shooting suspect out on bond after gunfire sends football fans fleeing
Trump and Rubio weigh firing Kimberly Guilfoyle as misconduct and donor bailout allegations mount
Quiet part out loud: Anti-Israel mobs want one state called ‘Palestine,’ erasing Israel
Toddler stabbed in face, suspect previously deemed unfit for trial in attacks on 2 children: report
Breaking: Viral Recording Appears to Place Talarico at Ohio Psych Facility During Long Absence Despite Denial
Polls come under scrutiny as Democrats take the lead in midterm elections
Hurricane Isaias’ devastating aftermath comes into focus in striking images
Rescue expert warns FlyDubai hijacking attempt shows US, allies are ‘playing checkers’ against terror threat
‘Fraud’: Rubio Puts Woke So-Called Human Rights Group on Blast for Stunning US-Israel Hypocrisy
That has been one of the thornier issues in the debate. No official source has confirmed the name, so organizations such as YouTube are generally operating off of a belief — effectively lending more credence to the notion that the whistleblower is the person whose name appears in the video.
YouTube isn’t the only one to refuse to accommodate Mr. Paul in his determination to use the name.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., who presided over the impeachment trial of President Trump in the Senate, refused to read a question Mr. Paul wanted to ask. He apparently thought the question trod too closely to the identity of the whistleblower.
Mr. Paul did get his say later, during time allotted for senators to speak, when he read out the question he’d wanted to ask had he been allowed by the chief justice.
The whistleblower’s complaint last summer launched the impeachment of Mr. Trump.
Articles containing the accusation are part of the Congressional Record, and Mr. Paul’s speech is also still part of that permanent record.
Story cited here.
