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House Oversight Chair Suggests Parler Has Ties To Russia And Requests Financing Information

This illustration picture shows social media application logo from Parler displayed on a smartphone with its website in the background in Arlington, Virginia on July 2, 2020. - Amid rising turmoil in social media, recently formed social network Parler is gaining with prominent political conservatives who claim their voices are being silenced by Silicon Valley giants. Parler, founded in Nevada in 2018, bills itself as an alternative to

Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

Jonathan Snyder Contributor
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Carolyn Maloney, the House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman, published a letter to social media company Parler, demanding information regarding the company’s finances and suggesting that Parler has ties to Russia.

Maloney, who recently called for the FBI to investigate Parler in another letter last month, is pursuing Parler again. Her most recent letter, published Monday, insinuates that Parler is helping the Russian government, and provided a platform for Russian disinformation during the election.

“Parler reportedly allowed Russian disinformation to flourish on its platform prior to the November 2020 election, facilitating Russia’s campaign to sow chaos in the American electorate. Although similar disinformation was removed by other social media platforms, it was allowed to remain on Parler,” the letter says.

The letter continues, pointing out that after being removed by American web-hosting services, “Parler re-emerged on a Russian hosting service, DDos-Guard, which has ties to the Russian government.”

Beyond the insinuations that Parler is working with the Russian government, the letter claims that Parler’s alleged negotiations with President Trump to make the company his primary social media site, “raise legal concerns regarding anti-bribery laws.” (RELATED: Top House Democrat Calls On FBI To Investigate Parler’s Financing, Possible Ties To Russia)

After detailing these claims, the letter requests that Parler turn over any documents relating to the negotiations with President Trump or Russian financing, and give said documents to the committee by February 22.

Parler, which marketed itself as a free speech social media site, was targeted by Amazon, Google, and Apple after the Capitol riots and removed from their various platforms. The company is still trying to reestablish their social media site.