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.
The unlucky 13: States bordering Canada are particularly hard-hit by trade war
Wendell Berry, 1934-2026
Trump admin’s list of US-designated ‘foreign terrorist’ groups in Latin America expands to 21
‘I’m coming home’: Last words haunt a 9/11 daughter 25 years later as she builds a legacy in his honor
Hasan Piker, cowboys, Charlie Kirk, and more: Top six takeaways from Republican midterm convention Night 2
Vance describes his hopes for baby son as he lays down a marker for 2028 with the speech of his life
Charlie Kirk supporters return to site of assassination 1 year later: ‘We are still standing’
Crowd erupts as Vance smacks down protester waving Mexican flag: ‘Get your a– over there’
Juror on Lindsay Clancy trial says ‘we let down Lindsay’ following mistrial
Top GOP senator reveals what Dem colleagues are fretting about behind closed doors
Patrol sergeant accused of murdering sheriff’s captain in yearslong romantic dispute over woman they dated
Several People Who Were Fired Over Charlie Kirk Comments Got Big Payouts or Were Given Their Jobs Back
Vance declares Democrats ‘party of hatred,’ says party has moved beyond big government, censorship
JD Vance to invoke Charlie Kirk, family ‘birthright’ in fiery midterm keynote speech thrashing Dems
Top Trump official reveals how 30-minute military op unlocked Venezuela oil windfall for US buyers
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.
