The conservative group America First Legal (AFL) launched an investigation into the Biden-Harris administration’s possible knowledge of Brazil’s censorship of Elon Musk’s social media platform X, requesting documents from three U.S. agencies.
Under the directive of Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes, Brazil banned the social media site, causing an uproar among free speech advocates. AFL pointed to the Biden-Harris Administration’s novel National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism, which promised to tackle “disinformation” and work with governments and technology companies to “[address] terrorist online content,” according to the 2021 document. (RELATED: Major Dem Figures, Liberal Orgs Silent About Brazil Banning Elon Musk’s X)
The legal group noted in its press release that 10 days prior to Brazil’s 2022 election, Moraes – recently deemed a “dictator” by Elon Musk – gained power to direct tech companies to censor “disinformation,” the New York Times reported.
Moraes is the (obviously) unelected dictator of Brazil
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 9, 2024
CIA Director William Burns relayed a message to Jair Bolsonaro – the then-Brazilian President – in July 2021, Reuters reported. The director told senior Brazilian officials that Bolsonaro “should stop casting doubt” on Brazil’s election system, according to Reuters.
Additionally, AFL cited how the Biden administration’s U.S. Ambassador to Brazil, Elizabeth F. Bagley, is a “Democrat mega-donor and a Department of State veteran from the Carter, Clinton, and Obama administrations,” according to the press release.
AFL submitted FOIA requests to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA).
The Caller reached out to the State Department and the U.S Department of Commerce, but at the time of publication have not heard back.
The USAID deferred the Caller to the White House and State Department, who have not responded.
/1🚨NEW INVESTIGATION🚨
Censorship is a cornerstone of U.S. policy under Biden-Harris.
Following Judge Alexandre de Moraes tyrannical edict shutting down 𝕏 in Brazil, we are investigating whether the Biden-Harris admin colluded with Brazil’s government.
Time for ANSWERS.🧵 pic.twitter.com/rLOKjB42Kv
— America First Legal (@America1stLegal) September 10, 2024
The FOIAs requested communications and records related to Alexandre de Moraes, the term “X” and the CIA Director’s visit to Brazil in July 2021. They also requested information pertaining to the conversations between Director Burns and Bolsonaro, in addition to other Brazilian officials.
AFL also requested communications concerning the names “Diego de Lima Gualda” or “Diego Lima Gualda.”
Gualda is a lawyer and political scientist who left his post as the administrator of X’s Brazilian branch in April, according to the outlet Folha De S. Paulo. (RELATED: Legal Group Launches Investigation Into Whether Biden-Harris Admin Had Possible Role In Telegram CEO’s Arrest)
Another name mentioned in the FOIAs is Rachel de Oliveira Vila Nova Conceição, who served as the Brazilian representative for X, according to the outlet Globo. Musk’s social platform claimed Moraes “threatened” her with arrest, according to a post online.
Last night, Alexandre de Moraes threatened our legal representative in Brazil with arrest if we do not comply with his censorship orders. He did so in a secret order, which we share here to expose his actions.
Despite our numerous appeals to the Supreme Court not being heard,… https://t.co/Pm2ovyydhE
— Global Government Affairs (@GlobalAffairs) August 17, 2024
AFL also demanded information pertaining to a “Boolean search” regarding the terms “election,” “electoral system,” “voting machine,” “sanctions,” and “Bolsonaro.” Other terms AFL inquired about included Elon Musk’s name, Twitter, Starlink and the words “ban,” “block” or “censor.”
Lastly, the group requested records or communications pertaining to an O Globo article by Scott Hamilton, the former U.S. consul in Rio de Janeiro.
“The American people know first-hand the dangers associated with the censorship of free speech online – particularly given our collective experience living through such things happening here during the COVID experience,” AFL’s Executive Director Gene Hamilton stated in a press release.
He stated the American people deserve to know if their government was involved in a foreign government censoring a U.S. company. (RELATED: ‘Dictator’ Judge Punishes Elon Musk’s X For Refusing To Comply With ‘Illegal Orders’)
AFL launched an investigation into the Biden-Harris administration’s potential role in France’s arrest of Telegram’s CEO, Pavel Durov, in August.
This story has been updated to include a response from USAID.