CNN’s Dana Bash asked Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas if he would guarantee that Biden’s Disinformation Governance Board would NOT spy on Americans. It was probably the most important question of his career, so how did he respond? He blew her off.
To begin, Mayorkas claimed that the DHS doesn’t have the capacity to spy on Americans but confirmed that they could spy on foreign civilians and governments—Which absolutely makes zero sense to me.
“Republicans are calling it ‘Orwellian’ and comparing it to the Ministry of Truth in the novel ‘1984,’” Bash said of the board. “Can you clarify what exactly is this? What exactly will this disinformation governance board do? Will it monitor American citizens?”
“Dana, I’m very pleased to do so. It’s clear, I mean, those criticisms are precisely the opposite of what this small working group within the Department of Homeland Security will do,” Mayorkas replied. “And I think we probably could have done a better job of communicating what it does and does not do. The fact is that disinformation that creates a threat to the security of the homeland is our responsibility to address. And this department has been addressing it for years.”
“We know the problems but it’s not clear to me how this governance board will act. What will it do?” Bash pressed.
“So, what it does, it works to ensure that the way in which we address threats, the connectivity between threats and acts of violence are addressed without infringing on free speech,” Mayorkas said, noting that the board would not have “operational authority” to act but would work to provide information to those who did.
“Will American citizens be monitored?” Bash asked directly.
“No,” Mayorkas replied.
“Guarantee that?” Bash pushed harder.
“So what we do, we in the Department of Homeland Security don’t monitor American citizens,” Mayorkas continued to object.
“You don’t, but will this change that?” Bash kept digging.
“No, no, the board does not have any operational capability,” Mayorkas said again.
Nina Jankowicz is set to head this Orwellington Ministry of Truth operation and her track record of being a partisan nit, does not look reassuring. Jankowicz helped cover up the Hunter Biden laptop story by declaring it disinformation—So no trust there.
Watch
Mayorkas: Ministry of Truth won’t “monitor American citizens … the board does not have any operational capability. What it'ill do is gather together best practices … & disseminate those best practices to the operators that have been executing & addressing this threat for years” pic.twitter.com/VbHF6Wek2Y
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) May 1, 2022
Bash pointed out the hypocrisy of what Biden is proposing.
“Would you be okay if Donald Trump were president if he created this disinformation governance board? Or — if it is in place and he wins again in 2024 — that he’s in charge of such a thing?” she asked.
“I believe that this working group, that gathers together best practices, makes sure that our work is coordinated, consistent with those best practices, that we’re safeguarding the right of free speech, that we’re safeguarding civil liberties, I think, is an extraordinary important endeavor,” said as he successfully dodge the question.