Media

Microsoft Company Pushed Discredited GDI Blacklist Targeting Conservative and Libertarian Sites

I have been writing about the controversial funding of the Global Disinformation Index by the congressionally-created and federally funded National Endowment for Democracy. I recently disclosed that, after my Hill column ran, NED contacted me to say that it was stopping any further funding of the GDI. However, major questions still remain on the NED’s funding of this highly flawed scoring system that targeted conservative and libertarian sites. This is an effort to deter advertisers from supporting these sites while listing highly liberal sites like Huffington Post as some of the most reliable sources. It appears that a Microsoft company is supporting this effort. According to the Washington Examiner, Microsoft’s Xandr is running a blacklist based on the discredited GDI listing. However, it includes additional sites popular with conservatives, libertarians, and independents beyond the ten most dangerous sites flagged by GDI. After Microsoft’s use of the blacklist was revealed, the company removed the listing. Continue reading “Microsoft Company Pushed Discredited GDI Blacklist Targeting Conservative and Libertarian Sites” →

Academia

Texas Professor Sues University After Being Allegedly Threatened Over His Criticism of CRT and DEI

We have been discussing various cases of professors being investigated or terminated for raising dissenting views on subjects like systemic racism or Critical Race Theory (CRT). The latest such controversy is at the University of Texas where a professor is suing after he was allegedly threatened for criticizing as having “no scientific basis.” Notably, the complaint of Dr. Richard Lowery (below) admits that, despite being tenured, he began to self-censor his comments — a problem that is widespread among academics who now fear to speak freely in class or even outside of their universities.

Continue reading “Texas Professor Sues University After Being Allegedly Threatened Over His Criticism of CRT and DEI” →

Media, Politics

The War on Musk: Washington Post Slammed Over Twitter Hit Piece

Twitter LogoLast week, there was another bombshell story by the Washington Post on the purported evil that is Elon Musk.  Quickly amplified by MSNBC and other media, it was another hit job on Musk and could be viewed as what many in the media love to call “disinformation.” Musk himself noted that the premise of the piece (that his tweets were artificially boosted during a recent period) was demonstrably false. Yet, the countervailing facts found little space in the long Post piece. None of that is particularly surprising. Musk became a hunted man when he sought to restore free speech protections to social media. The media regularly offers him little quarter or consideration. However, what was most striking was that the underlying controversy may have been Musk’s targeting of “bots” in his restructuring of Twitter. Continue reading “The War on Musk: Washington Post Slammed Over Twitter Hit Piece” →

Academia

“Lack of Potential for Growth”: Marymount University to Cut Degrees in Theology, Math, History, and Other Core Degrees

Marymount University has long followed the motto of Tua Luce Dirige, or “Direct Us by Thy Light” as a Catholic university. However, studying the meaning of that light will now have to be done on your own time if you want a degree on some subjects. Marymount is moving to cut theology and religious studies as well as a host of other traditional subjects like philosophy, mathematics, art, history, sociology, English, economics, and secondary education as degree subjects. All of these subjects, according to the university and its President Irma Becerra, “lack of potential for growth.” Continue reading ““Lack of Potential for Growth”: Marymount University to Cut Degrees in Theology, Math, History, and Other Core Degrees” →

International, Media, Politics

The National Endowment for Democracy To Cut Off Further Support for the Global Disinformation Index

I have been writing about “the Global Disinformation Index” produced by a British group funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), which itself is funded by the federal government.  That includes a recent column in The Hill. The NED receives a massive $330 million budget through the U.S. State Department. The NED contacted me today after the column ran and informed me that it will no longer fund the GDI. Continue reading “The National Endowment for Democracy To Cut Off Further Support for the Global Disinformation Index” →

Columns, Free Speech

Scoring Speech: How the Biden Administration has been Quietly Shaping Public Discourse

Below is my column in The Hill on the release of a new Disinformation Index by a group partially funded by the Biden Administration. Gabe Kaminsky at the Washington Examiner previously ran a story on the Index. The Index appears heavily biased against conservative or libertarian sites. I previously discussed the bizarre inclusion of a legal analysis site of conservative and libertarian law professors.  It is easy to dismiss such transparently flawed work, but this is an effort to target advertisers and to justify a type of cancel campaign. It is also part of a more comprehensive effort by the Administration to censor or isolate certain views or groups in the public debate. [N.B.: After this column ran, the National Endowment for Democracy wrote to inform me that it had decided to stop funding the Global Disinformation Index].

Here is the column: Continue reading “Scoring Speech: How the Biden Administration has been Quietly Shaping Public Discourse” →

Hikes, Travel Blog

Colorado Springs in All Its Winter Glory

I have spent the last few days in one of my favorite spots: Colorado Springs. This trip I was able to return to Pike’s Peak, visit the Royal Gorge, and hike around the Garden of the Gods. This is an incredible place and an inexhaustible source for great hikes and incredible sights. While I was here for a speech, it is a great location for those who want some outdoor recreation and exploration.

Continue reading “Colorado Springs in All Its Winter Glory” →

Congress, Criminal law, Politics

Beholding the Beholders: Hunter Biden’s Art Dealer Defies the House Over Business Records

It appears that Hunter Biden’s art dealer believes that his art should be left entirely to the eye of the beholder — and not Congress. Georges Bergès reportedly refused last week to provide the House Oversight Committee with the identities of the buyers of Biden’s high-priced art work. While counsel William Pittard insists that the list of purchasers must remain secret, it is hard to see the viable legal basis to refuse the demand of the House Oversight Committee, if made subject to a congressional subpoena.

Continue reading “Beholding the Beholders: Hunter Biden’s Art Dealer Defies the House Over Business Records” →

Academia, Free Speech

Former Harvard Business School Professor Sues Over Denial of Tenure

There is an interesting new lawsuit filed against Harvard Business School (HBS) by former professor Benjamin Edelman, who was previously embroiled in a controversy with a Chinese restaurant over a $4 overcharge. The controversy was raised in his tenure deliberations and has made Edelman a target with many accusing him of being elitist and petty. In reality, the complaint raises a broader range of issues after Edelman was criticized for work outside of the school in raising consumer fraud concerns. The case raises serious free speech and academic freedom concerns.
Media, Politics

Gallup: Fifty Percent of Americans Believe Media Lies to Promote Agenda

I will be speaking today in Colorado on the “Rise and Fall of the American Fourth Estate.” The speech explores the legal and political history of the free press in our democracy — and its rapid decline in the age of advocacy journalism. This week, a poll was released that shows just how much ground has been lost by this generation of journalists. Gallup and the Knight Foundation found that 50% of Americans believe that the news media lies in order to promote an agenda. Only 25% of Americans reject that premise.

Continue reading “Gallup: Fifty Percent of Americans Believe Media Lies to Promote Agenda” →

Academia, Free Speech

Stanford Will Not Investigate Law Professor for Series of Inflammatory Comments
Stanford University has announced that it will not open a Title IX and ethics investigation into Stanford law Professor Michele Dauber after a complaint over a litany of comments viewed as inflammatory and sexist, including grossly unfair attacks on Johnny Depp’s attorney Camille Vasquez as a female attorney representing a male accused of sexual assault.
Congress, Free Speech, Politics

Risky Business: Government-Funded Group Targets Conservative Sites as “Riskiest Online News Outlets”

Goodbye Disinformation Board, Hello Disinformation Index.  Less than a year after many celebrated the disbanding of the Biden’s Administration Disinformation Board, it appears that the Administration has been funding a British group to rank sites to warn people about high-risk disinformation sites. Gabe Kaminsky at the Washington Examiner previously ran a story on the Index. The Global Disinformation Index (GDI) has released its index and every one of the high-risk sites turn out to be . . .  wait for it . . .  conservative or libertarian sites.  HuffPost or Mother Jones (which were also analyzed), but HuffPost made the top list of most trustworthy for potential advertisers. It turns out that the “riskiest online news outlets” just happen to be some of the most popular sites for conservatives, libertarians, and independents. [N.B.: After my Hill column ran, the National Endowment for Democracy wrote to inform me that it had decided to stop funding the Global Disinformation Index].

Continue reading “Risky Business: Government-Funded Group Targets Conservative Sites as “Riskiest Online News Outlets”” →

Constitutional Law, Free Speech

Federal Court Enjoins New York’s “Hateful Conduct Law” as Unconstitutional

There is a major victory for free speech in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York where Judge Andrew Carter Jr. has enjoined a New York Hate Speech law regulating social media. In Volokh v. James, Judge Carter granted a preliminary injunction on the basis that “the Hateful Conduct Law” is blatantly unconstitutional, which it most certainly is. It is only the latest law passed by the New York legislature that was quickly enjoined by the federal courts. Albany has become a type of perpetual motion machine of unconstitutional excesses.

Continue reading “Federal Court Enjoins New York’s “Hateful Conduct Law” as Unconstitutional” →

Columns, Free Speech, Politics

Free Speech is Futile: Gates Goes Full Borg on AI Censorship

Below is my column in the New York Post on the call of Bill Gates to use Artificial Intelligence to combat “political polarization” on the Internet. It turns out the problem on the Internet is those pesky humans “who want to believe … things” that they should not. Enter the new AI Overlords to bring collective peace and tranquility through content assimilation.

Here is the column:

Continue reading “Free Speech is Futile: Gates Goes Full Borg on AI Censorship” →

Congress, Constitutional Law

Pence Asserts Novel Constitutional Claim to Avoid Testifying Before Grand Jury

Former Vice President Mike Pence is making a novel constitutional argument in opposing the recent grand jury subpoena for testimony from Special Counsel Jack Smith. He is claiming that, as President of the Senate, he falls under the protections of the “Speech and Debate Clause” like members of Congress. It is an unresolved question and he could ultimately prevail. However, I am not confident that the claim would bar the subpoena in its entirety. Continue reading “Pence Asserts Novel Constitutional Claim to Avoid Testifying Before Grand Jury” →