House Republicans Tell Twitter, ‘Preserve Your Documents!’

The GOP sent preservation notices to Twitter’s board members formally requesting that they preserve all records and materials relating to Elon Musk’s offer to purchase Twitter.

US House Republicans called on Twitter to preserve all Musk’s takeover bid records. The Request includes all electronic messages, including those encrypted.

18 Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee have issued a preservation notice to Twitter asking the social media giant’s board to hold on to all records related to Elon Musk’s takeover offer.

The was sent Friday saying they needed to preserve all records and materials relating to the Tesla Chief Executive’s offer laying the groundwork for a potential future investigation.

“As Congress continues to examine Big Tech and how to best protect Americans’ free speech rights, this letter serves as a formal request that you preserve all records and materials relating to Musk’s offer to purchase Twitter, including Twitter’s consideration and response to this offer, and Twitter’s evaluation of its shareholder interests with respect to Musk’s offer,” said the letter signed by the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, Jim Jordan, and others on the committee.

Reuters reported:

The order to save records strongly suggests Jordan plans to probe Twitter if the Musk offer is rejected and Republicans take back the House in midterm elections in November. The letter did not indicate that an investigation was forthcoming.

Jordan said on Fox Business recently that he was hopeful that Musk would succeed in buying Twitter because social media platforms are “the public square today.”

Jordan and other Republicans have been critical of Twitter for banning former President Donald Trump and other notable conservatives.

Twitter banned Trump’s account due to the risk of further incitement of violence after the storming of the U.S. Capitol.

Musk on Thursday said he has lined up $46.5 billion in debt and equity financing to buy Twitter and is considering taking his offer directly to shareholders, according to a filing with U.S. regulators.

Twitter has not responded to his offer and adopted a “poison pill” to thwart him. Twitter declined to comment on the letter on Friday.

From the letter:

Dear Mr. Taylor:
Free speech online is under attack by Big Tech. In particular, Twitter has increasingly engaged in “heavy-handed censorship . . . to silence prominent voices . . . and stifle views that disagree with the prevailing progressive consensus.” Big Tech’s eroding commitment to free speech prevents informed public discourse and undermines First Amendment principles.

These harms follow from how Twitter and other social media companies increasingly function as the
“de facto public town square” for the American people. Decisions regarding Twitter’s future governance will undoubtedly be consequential for public discourse in the United States and could give rise to renewed efforts to legislate in furtherance of preserving free expression online. Among other things, the Board’s reactions to Elon Musk’s offer to purchase Twitter, and outsider opposition to Musk’s role in Twitter’s future are concerning.

Twitter’s Board Members have fiduciary duties to the company’s shareholders.

These duties apply despite how many corporations’ leaders increasingly pursue
progressive policy goals divorced from shareholder interests

Kari Donovan

Kari is an ex-Community Organizer who writes about Cultural Marxism, grassroots activism, music, IndyCar racing and political campaigns.  @Saorsa1776