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.
Hegseth announces joint task force with DOJ to prosecute leaks to journalists ‘with the full force of the law’
Mamdani offers few answers as massive homeless encampment sprouts in west Manhattan
Historic Video: US Deployed First-Ever Sea-Based Drones to Blow Apart Submarine and Ship Facility in Iran
What to know about Darline Graham Nordone, South Carolina’s newest senator
Democrats running to replace Platner in key Senate race call for ICE to be ‘abolished’
Breaking: Trump to Address the Nation This Week in Prime-Time Comments
Trump-backed Daylight Saving Time bill clears key House hurdle
Maine ICE shooting victim was not target of arrest warrant, Sen. King’s office says after earlier DHS account
Top economists and AI leaders warn of ‘unprecedented transformation’
Newsom blasted by sheriff in his own backyard over California crime as victims cry foul
AOC Hits Now Low, Demands Israel Release ‘Pediatrician,’ Turns Out He’s a Terrorist Colonel – So Was She Ignorant or a Terror Supporter?
Stephen Miller’s unlikely friendship with Lindsey Graham revealed in heartfelt White House tribute
Breaking: Lindsey Graham’s Sister Appointed to Serve Out the Rest of His Term
Auto Journalist Swarmed by Cops After Flock Cameras Mistakenly Flag Car Theft: We ‘Live in a Surveillance State’
‘The halls of the Senate already feel empty’: Tearful Thune honors Lindsey Graham as sister takes his seat
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.
