Judge Rules Jen Psaki Must Be Deposed in Lawsuit Alleged ‘Collusion’ with Big Tech to Censor Speech

A federal judge ruled Monday that former White House press secretary Jen Psaki must comply with a subpoena and provide testimony in a lawsuit that claims the Biden administration colluded with Big Tech to censor the speech

Judge Terry Doughty of the Western District of Louisiana on Monday denied a motion by Psaki’s lawyers to block a court-ordered deposition, saying there is a public interest in “determining whether the free speech rights of the First Amendment.”

Monday’s order follows a decision by U.S. Magistrate Judge Ivan Davis, who on Friday moved the case to Louisiana after Psaki tried to fight the deposition in a court in Virginia where she lives and would be deposed. Biden’s Justice Department supported his effort.

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Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

“Ms. Psaki’s effort to eliminate or delay her deposition in this action had failed because of the swift action of two judges in widely dispersed courts, one in Virginia and one in Louisiana, and the implausibility of their reasons for not testifying as federal efforts to censor social media that made a quick resolution possible,” John J. Vecchione, senior counsel for the New Civil Liberties Alliance, said in a press release. NCLA supports lawsuit against Psaki.

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White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki smiles as she enters one of her final briefings, before leaving her role.
(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

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Republican Attorneys General Eric Schmitt of Missouri and Jeff Landry of Louisiana first filed the lawsuit in May, accusing top government officials of working with social media giants Meta, Twitter and YouTube “under the guise of fighting disinformation” to achieve this. greater censorship

Press Secretary Jen Psaki speaks during a briefing at the White House, March 18, 2022.
(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

In October, Judge Doughty ruled that Psaki and other senior administration officials, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, should be removed from office.

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“After finding documentation of a collusive relationship between the Biden administration and social media companies to censor free speech, we immediately filed a motion to have these officials under oath,” Schmitt said in reaction to the ruling of October 21. “It’s time we shine a light on this censorship enterprise and force these officials to speak cleanly to the American people, and this ruling will allow us to do just that. We will continue to push for the truth.”

Andrew Mark Miller of Fox News contributed to this report.