Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., told "Prime News" on Monday that DirecTV dropped Newsmax because some people simply can't tolerate opposing views.
"There is only one reason why we are seeing this cancel culture affect telecommunications, and it's because they don't like what you have to say," Gaetz told host Jenn Pellegrino. "It's not a business case. It's not some sort of entrepreneurial play. It is content-based censorship, and we need a multi-vector attack on this."
Addressing the curtailing of censorship, the Florida congressman suggests "the antitrust division of the Department of Justice" look "into this."
"The FCC," Gaetz continued, "should open an investigation into this. And, of course, the United States Congress should speak loudly about such an infringement" on "the rights of Americans ... to obtain diverse viewpoints."
"We didn't use to be so afraid of diverse viewpoints in America. And like it wasn't that long ago. It was the left that championed this notion that we needed a great marketplace of ideas, but increasingly, they're scared of anyone who reflects an America First or conservative thought."
On Friday, journalist Matt Taibbi broke the story a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, the Alliance for Securing Democracy, co-opted by neoconservatives and neoliberals, was responsible for many false reports responsible for partitioning political discourse.
Taibbi reported the think tank created an arbitrary list of "Russian bots" that was primarily comprised of ordinary people to push the Democrat's political agenda. The think tank's bogus report of Russian bots was responsible for numerous bogus news stories across multiple mainstream media platforms, including the Brett Kavanaugh hearings, Tulsi Gabbard's campaign, the #ReleaseTheMemo affair, Donald Trump's election, Sen. Bernie Sanders' campaign, calls to fire National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, attacks on the Mueller investigation, and numerous other issues.
Speaking on Taibbi's report, author Walter Kirn during an episode of "America This Week," which he cohosts alongside Taibbi, said "One of the problems that this week I'm having talking — even with my friends — about what's about going on with Ukraine-Russia and our arming of them is that everyone now is trained unconsciously with this sort of dominatrix in the back of their head whipping them every time they depart from approved discourse."
"So it's not just that a bunch of news organizations ran hundreds of news stories based on this spurious research, it's that it leaked out into the public mind and created a set of sensitivities, fears, apprehensions, and habits around discussing everything."
Today, Kirn continued, "we find ourselves with ... this new layer of calculation: 'Can I discuss this without being accused or laying myself open to the accusation of subversion, of [Vladimir] Putin-loving, of whatever it might be?' This is automated McCarthyism. I don't ever want to hear again about the 1950s until we've dealt with this."
Actions to Take Now
1. DirecTV customers: Call them toll free at 877-763-9762 and demand they bring NEWSMAX back on air. President Donald Trump urges you CANCEL!
- Important: If DirecTV tells you we are still negotiating, that is a lie! They have told NEWSMAX we will never be on a regular cable channel. DirecTV also replaced NEWSMAX with a channel that has no news and no ratings. Also, NEWSMAX's livestream is ending soon on other platforms, so unless you get it on DirecTV you will have to cancel their service.
2. AT&T customers: Call toll free at 888-855-2338, for any of their cellphones, wireless products, or services, and demand they end their censorship of NEWSMAX. President Trump has urged you to cancel their services.
3. Call your congressman or senator at 202-224-3121 and demand they stop AT&T/DirecTV's censorship of NEWSMAX — ask them to give you a date on the hearings!
4. Go to our online petition and get more info at: iWantNewsmax.com.