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Ex-Twitter executives testify: laptop block was a mistake

Vijaya Gadde, James Baker and Yoel Roth testified to the House Oversight Committee about the 2020 laptop decision. They said it was a mistake but denied government direction. Whistleblower Anika Collier Navaroli testified the Trump White House had asked Twitter to remove a Chrissy Teigen tweet.

Feb 8, 2023
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Whose side it served: Democrats

The decision the executives called a mistake served the Biden campaign, though the hearing also documented a Trump White House takedown request.

What the record shows

The hearing, 'Protecting Speech from Government Interference and Social Media Bias, Part 1,' was held February 8, 2023. Roth said 'I do believe Twitter made a mistake then.' Gadde said Twitter changed its policy within 24 hours and admitted the initial action was wrong. Baker said he was aware of no unlawful collusion with, or direction from, any government agency. Rep. Jim Jordan said the executives were 'played' by the FBI. Navaroli testified that, to her recollection, the Trump White House wanted a Teigen tweet critical of Trump taken down; Twitter did not remove it.

In their words

“I do believe Twitter made a mistake then.”— Yoel Roth, former Twitter head of trust and safety · source
“Twitter changed its policy within 24 hours and admitted its initial action was wrong.”— Vijaya Gadde, former Twitter chief legal officer · source
“To my recollection, yes.”— Anika Collier Navaroli, former Twitter policy official, on the Trump White House request · source
The other side

Democrats questioned the hearing's purpose and noted the laptop decision was reversed in about a day. Republicans argued the executives' FBI contacts mattered more than whether any order was given.

Sources

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