NW Kentucky News

House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer is continuing an investigation into NewsGuard's role in potential censorship activities related to its government contracts. In a letter to NewsGuard's CEOs, Steven Brill and Gordon Crovitz, Comer requested further documentation regarding all past and present contracts or grants with government agencies.

Comer stated, "The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is continuing to investigate the impact of NewsGuard on protected First Amendment speech and its potential to serve as a non-transparent agent of censorship campaigns. Our investigation has particularly focused on abuse of government authority to censor American citizens under the guise of protecting them from so-called misinformation."

In June 2024, Comer had asked for details of all current and past contracts between NewsGuard and government entities. While NewsGuard provided information about its dealings with the Department of Defense, it also disclosed engagements with other bodies such as the Joint Research Centre of the European Union, the Global Engagement Center at the State Department, and the Cyber National Mission Force within U.S. Cyber Command.

Chairman Comer expressed concern over these connections: "These wide-ranging connections with various government agencies are taking place as the government is rapidly expanding into the censorship sphere. For example, one search of government grants and contracts from 2016 through 2023 revealed that there were 538 separate grants and 36 different government contracts specifically to address ‘misinformation’ and ‘disinformation.’ The protection of First Amendment rights of American citizens is paramount and attempts by government actors to infringe on those rights is dangerous and misguided."

A link to Comer's letter addressed to NewsGuard can be accessed for further details.