Democratic lawmaker threatens Twitter Files journalist Matt Taibbi with jail time

Apr 21, 2023

Karah Rucker Reporter/Producer

By Karah Rucker (Reporter/Producer), Stacey Chamberlain (Editor/Digital Producer)

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The release of the Twitter Files by journalist Matt Taibbi revealed secrets behind how the social media platform operates and the government’s alleged influence. Now, a Democratic lawmaker wants the journalist responsible for releasing the files to face serious repercussions, threatening up to five years of jail time.

In a letter from top House Democrat Stacey Plaskett to Taibbi, the congresswoman accuses the journalist of intentionally lying to Congress under oath at March’s congressional hearing.

Taibbi had mixed up the acronyms of agencies he referred to, saying CISA when referring to a government cybersecurity agency. What he meant to say was CIS, a private internet security firm swept up in the Twitter Files. Taibbi later addressed and corrected the error.

Freedom of speech and freedom of the press advocacy groups are calling out Plaskett for wanting to press serious charges against the journalist over his remarks.

“It’s hard to think of anything more chilling to a free press than threatening a journalist with prison time based on a single, corrected mistake in their reporting,” Aaron Terr, advocacy director for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, said.

Tags: Matt Taibbi, Twitter, Twitter Files

KARAH RUCKER: THE RELEASE OF THE TWITTER FILES BY JOURNALIST MATT TAIBBI WAS THE OPENING OF PANDORA’S BOX – SECRETS BEHIND HOW THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM OPERATES AND THE GOVERNMENT’S ALLEGED INFLUENCE SPILLED OUT.

NOW – A DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKER WANTS THE JOURNALIST RESPONSIBLE FOR RELEASING THE FILES TO FACE SERIOUS REPERCUSSIONS – UP TO FIVE YEARS OF JAIL TIME.

IN A LETTER FROM TOP HOUSE DEMOCRAT STACEY PLASKETT – TO TAIBBI – THE CONGRESSWOMAN ACCUSES THE JOURNALIST OF INTENTIONALLY LYING TO CONGRESS UNDER OATH AT LAST MONTH’S CONGRESSIONAL HEARING.

TAIBBI HAD MIXED UP THE ACRONYMS OF AGENCIES HE REFERRED TO.

SAYING CISA – REFERRING TO A GOVERNMENT CYBERSECURITY AGENCY —

WHEN HE MEANT CIS — A PRIVATE INTERNET SECURITY FIRM SWEPT UP IN THE TWITTER FILES. TAIBBI LATER ADDRESSED AND CORRECTED THE ERROR.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND FREEDOM OF THE PRESS ADVOCACY GROUPS ARE CALLING OUT THE CONGRESSWOMAN FOR WANTING TO PRESS SERIOUS CHARGES AGAINST THE JOURNALIST OVER HIS REMARKS.

THE ADVOCACY DIRECTOR FOR “THE FOUNDATION FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND EXPRESSION” SAID QUOTE: “IT’S HARD TO THINK OF ANYTHING MORE CHILLING TO A FREE PRESS THAN THREATENING A JOURNALIST WITH PRISON TIME BASED ON A SINGLE, CORRECTED MISTAKE IN THEIR REPORTING.”