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.
Not Joking: Somalian President of UN Security Council Is Now Tied to ‘Home Health Agency’ Convicted of Medicaid Fraud in Ohio
Watch: Trump’s DHS Delivers Horrible News to Ilhan Omar – She ‘Absolutely’ Can Be Denaturalized and They’re Investigating on ‘Massive’ Scale
Judge clears way for Minnesota welfare fraud ringleader to forfeit Porsche, millions held in accounts
Aldrich Ames, CIA officer who spied for Russia, dead at 84
Democrats walk Venezuela tightrope as some praise Maduro’s ouster
Highly Respected, Long Tenured NFL Head Coach Fired After Team Failed to Make the Playoffs
‘Squad’ Rep Ayanna Pressley’s ex-con husband slaps phone out of man’s hands as he tries to ask her a question
By Mamdani Aide’s Own Logic, Her Mom Apparently Wields ‘Weapon of White Supremacy’
Russia and China see danger and opportunity in the future of Trump’s ‘Donroe Doctrine’
NYC sex offender indicted for threatening to kill Jews, police and federal officials
James Comer to accuse Tim Walz of being ‘asleep at the wheel’ at fraud hearing
Wisconsin judge convicted of obstructing ICE resigns, vows to keep fighting case
Wyoming Supreme Court rules laws restricting abortion violate state constitution
Trump admin expands visa bond requirement to 38 countries, with fees up to $15K
Video shows masked thieves using sledgehammer in brazen Lululemon heist before fleeing in U-Haul
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.
