The State of Texas, along with media companies The Daily Wire and The Federalist, has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of State and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, accusing them of engaging in a conspiracy to censor and suppress American media outlets that are not favored by the federal government. The lawsuit alleges that the State Department, through its Global Engagement Center, actively interfered in the news-media market to limit the reach and viability of domestic news organizations.
According to the complaint, the State Department used its authority to fund censorship technology and private censorship enterprises, which were intended to counter foreign propaganda and misinformation. However, the agency allegedly misused this authority to violate the First Amendment and stifle Americans' constitutionally-protected speech. The lawsuit describes the State Department's actions as "one of the most egregious government operations to censor the American press in the history of the nation."
Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is leading the fight against what he calls the "tyrannical federal government," said, "The State Department's mission to obliterate the First Amendment is completely un-American. This agency will not get away with their illegal campaign to silence citizens and publications they disagree with."
The New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) is serving as co-counsel in the lawsuit. Mark Chenoweth, NCLA president and general counsel, stated, "The federal government cannot do indirectly what the First Amendment forbids it from doing directly. The chilling censorship machinations alleged in this complaint will frighten all liberty-loving Americans to the core."
The lawsuit alleges that conservative news organizations like The Daily Wire and The Federalist were targeted by the government-funded censorship enterprises, branding them as "unreliable" or "risky." This branding resulted in a decline in advertising revenue and reduced circulation of their reporting and speech, all due to what the complaint refers to as the State Department's "unlawful censorship scheme."
This lawsuit raises serious concerns about the freedom of the press and the government's role in suppressing dissenting voices. The allegations against the State Department shine a light on the potential misuse of power and the infringement on Americans' constitutional rights.
To read the full complaint and learn more about the case, click [here](link to the complaint).
Click this link to access more information: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-sues-us-state-department-conspiring-censor-american-media-companies-1