House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan issued a subpoena to FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the San Francisco Field Office, Elvis Chan. This action occurred after the Department of Justice prevented Chan's voluntary interview.
Jordan explained that the Committee on the Judiciary is conducting oversight to scrutinize the Executive Branch's involvement with companies and intermediaries in censoring speech. He emphasized the need to understand the extent of the federal government's coordination with social media companies in censoring disfavored political viewpoints during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Furthermore, Jordan asserted that recent court proceedings and public reporting have revealed the government's pressure and collusion with Big Tech and intermediaries, which undermines First Amendment principles. Consequently, Congress needs to assess the extent to which FBI agents coerced, pressured, worked with, or relied upon social media and tech companies in censoring speech. The Committee's investigation aims to comprehensively grasp the FBI's involvement in this censorship.
The transcribed interview between Chan and the Committee was scheduled for Friday. However, due to a disagreement between the FBI and the Committee regarding protocol, the interview was canceled, prompting the issuance of a subpoena.
Jordan's subpoena coincides with the ongoing Missouri v. Biden court case, in which Republican-led states have challenged the administration's interactions with social media giants. Recently, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Judge Terry Doughty's ruling, which determined that the administration's efforts likely violated the First Amendment. Ultimately, the matter will likely be decided by the Supreme Court.