Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, others to address social-media bias against conservatives at Capitol Hill hearing

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey is seen at the New York Stock Exchange, Nov. 19, 2015.  (Associated Press)

Amid concerns that conservative voices are being silenced on social media, a U.S. House committee announced Friday that Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and other tech executives will appear before the panel on Capitol Hill Sept. 5.
Dorsey will discuss his company’s “algorithms and content judgment calls” before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the committee announced via Twitter.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who has frequently complained about "one-sided" content on social media, said Dorsey's scheduled appearance was arranged through talks among Dorsey, himself and U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., chairman of the committee.
"One-sided conversations are an affront to the public mission that serves as the foundation for these social media platforms – including Twitter," McCarthy said in a statement. "That is why I worked with Chairman Greg Walden and requested Jack Dorsey to testify to Congress and talk with the American people about filtering practices on Twitter."

"One-sided conversations are an affront to the public mission that serves as the foundation for these social media platforms – including Twitter."
- House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.

McCarthy added: "We all agree that transparency is the only way to fully restore Americans’ trust in these important public platforms."
Social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook have faced accusations of liberal bias as numerous conservative commentators have been banned or censored for violating guidelines. Many have complained that the guidelines are unclear.
Most recently, Salena Zito of the New York Post, wrote that her column – which she said contained “no expletives, conspiracy theories, hate speech or sexual language” – was removed by Facebook and Twitter without explanation.
Dorsey has conceded that San Francisco-based Twitter’s staff is primarily “left-leaning,” but has denied notions that the platform bans users for conservative viewpoints.
“[I] do understand the concern,” Dorsey said in an interview with Fox News Radio’s Guy Benson. “We have folks that are at various points in the political spectrum and they don’t feel comfortable today bringing up certain issues or their viewpoints on certain issues. And I don’t believe that is acceptable.”
Noted Walden in a statement: “Twitter is an incredibly powerful platform that can change the national conversation in the time it takes to go viral. When decisions about data and content are made using opaque processes, the American people are right to raise concerns.”
Representatives from Google and Facebook are also scheduled to appear at next month's hearing.

Democrats Acting Stupid Cartoons

Senate Passes $857B Spending Package

In this photo taken June 27, 2017, the U.S. Senate is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

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UPDATED 5:06 PM PT — Thurs. August 23, 2018

The Senate overwhelmingly passes a more than $800 billion spending package, as Congress seeks to avoid a possible government shutdown next month.
The bill passed in an 85-7 vote Thursday and will keep the Defense Department, Labor, Education and Health and Human Services funded through next year.
Not included in the package is additional funding for the border wall, but Republicans hope the bill’s $20 billion increase to Defense spending and pay raise for troops will be enough to convince President Trump to approve it.
The Senate did reject an amendment that would have cut federal funding to planned parenthood, something the White House will also likely take issue with.
The House and Senate will have just 11 days to deliver a final version of the bill to the president’s desk before funding runs out on September 30.

Sen. Graham Thinks President Trump Will Fire Attorney General Sessions Following Midterms

GOP Senator Lindsay Graham said he believes President Trump may fire Attorney General Jeff Sessions, following the upcoming midterm elections.
Graham made the suggestion to reporters Thursday, saying the president should be able to have confidence in his attorney general.
He went on to warn against firing him before the November elections, noting it could “create havoc.”
This comes as Sessions has been under fire from President Trump, with the president claiming he’s failed to take control of the Justice Department.

FILE – In this Dec. 15, 2017, file photo, President Donald Trump sits with Attorney General Jeff Sessions during the FBI National Academy graduation ceremony in Quantico, Va. Trump’s White House counsel personally lobbied Attorney General Jeff Sessions to not recuse himself from the Justice Department’s investigation into potential ties between Russia and the Trump campaign. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

“I think there will come a time, sooner rather than later, where it will be time to have a new face and a fresh voice at the Department of Justice,” stated Senator Graham. “Clearly, Attorney General Sessions doesn’t have the confidence of the president.”
Sessions fired back, saying he “took control” the day he was sworn in to his role and is proud to serve his country.
He went on to say the Justice Department will not be affected by “political considerations,” while touting prosecutors and investigators for their talent.

President Trump Says He Did Not Commit Campaign Finance Violations

President Trump said he did not commit any campaign finance violations, following the guilty plea made by his former attorney.
In an interview released Thursday, the president said he did not know about payments Michael Cohen made to porn star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal as part of non-disclosure agreements until after they were made.
The president also said the payments did not come from campaign funds, but instead came from him personally, adding, the source of the money does not constitute a campaign finance violation.
“…did they come out of the campaign because that could be a little dicey, and they didn’t come out of the campaign, and that’s big,” President told a reporter. “But they weren’t…it’s not even a campaign violation — if you look at President Obama, he had a massive campaign violation…”
The president said former President Obama’s situation was handled differently, because he had a different attorney general.

GOP Blocks Sen. Paul’s Measure To Defund Planned Parenthood

During a TV news interview, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., defends President Donald Trump and his Helsinki news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, July 17, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

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UPDATED 6:28 PM PT — Thurs. August 23, 2018

Republican senators block a measure to defund Planned Parenthood introduced by Senator Rand Paul.
GOP senators moved to block and delay Senator Paul’s proposal Thursday, after it was deemed too controversial.
Senator Paul introduced his pro-life amendment to the Senate budget bill earlier this week, which required a simple majority to pass.
The move would strip Planned Parenthood from federal funding, a move some argued could help mobilize GOP voters ahead of the midterms.
This comes as Planned Parenthood has received $543 million from the federal budget in the fiscal year 2016-2017 alone and has aborted 320 thousand babies per year.
The GOP leadership can still unblock Senator Paul’s amendment for a vote.

ESPN Football Kneeling Cartoons

Trump urges supporters to sign petition against 'spineless' ESPN to show national anthem during 'MNF'

President Trump sent an email to supporters on Wednesday urging them to sign a petition to push ESPN to show the national anthem during "Monday Night Football" broadcasts.  (AP)

President Donald Trump on Wednesday urged his supporters to sign a petition to pressure ESPN to show the national anthem during “Monday Night Football” broadcasts.
In an email sent on behalf of the Trump Make America Great Again Committee, Trump called the network’s announcement last week a “spineless surrender to the politically correct liberal mob.”
“Just after we heard a slitting governor trash America, ESPN has now decided it will no longer play the National Anthem before Monday Night Football,” the email read. “If ‘America’ is too offensive for anyone in our country, then what are they doing in America?’”
The email appears to reference New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s remark earlier this month during a bill signing, in which he declared, “We’re not going to make America great again. It was never that great.”
A spokesperson for Cuomo walked back the comments shortly after, saying “the Governor believes America is great and that her full greatness will be fully realized when every man, woman, and child has full equality.”
The Trump email concluded by saying, “I was the first person to sign this petition. Now I need you to follow my lead and be the second.”
Speaking to reporters during ESPN’s annual football media day, Jimmy Pitaro, the network’s president, said the national anthem would not be showed, before acknowledging, “there could be changes.”
“It’s somewhat unpredictable what’s going to happen in the world but as of now our plan now is to not broadcast the anthem. We have communicated that back to the NFL,” Pitaro said. “They have not asked but we proactively just as a courtesy and as good partners let them know what our plans are.”
Trump, who has been at the center of the national anthem controversy since former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the 2016-17 NFL season in opposition to police brutality, used his time on stage Tuesday night at a rally in West Virginia to condemn ESPN’s decision as “terrible.”
"While the players are kneeling ... you're all proudly standing for our national anthem," Trump told the crowd.
The NFL announced in May that teams and league personnel who do not “stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem” would be fined. However, the policy was put on hold as the league and its players association negotiated the strategy.
ESPN did not air the national anthem during last season’s "Monday Night Football" broadcasts, a similar approach that CBS has taken in the past and plans to do so this season, according to the USA Today Sports. FOX plans to only show the anthem during “special broadcasts” such as Veteran’s Day or Thanksgiving and during the playoffs, while NBC Sports broadcasts plans are still undetermined.