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Ted Cruz, Jim Jordan Ramp Up Pressure On Google Parent Company To Deal With ‘Censorship’

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From the Daily Caller News Foundation

By Andi Shae Napier

Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Republican Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan are turning their attention to Google over concerns that the tech giant is censoring users and infringing on Americans’ free speech rights.

Google’s parent company Alphabet, which also owns YouTube, appears to be the GOP’s next Big Tech target. Lawmakers seem to be turning their attention to Alphabet after Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta ended its controversial fact-checking program in favor of a Community Notes system similar to the one used by Elon Musk’s X.

Cruz recently informed reporters of his and fellow senators’ plans to protect free speech. 

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“Stopping online censorship is a major priority for the Commerce Committee,” Cruz said, as reported by Politico. “And we are going to utilize every point of leverage we have to protect free speech online.”

Following his meeting with Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai last month, Cruz told the outlet, “Big Tech censorship was the single most important topic.”

Jordan, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, sent subpoenas to Alphabet and other tech giants such as RumbleTikTok and Apple in February regarding “compliance with foreign censorship laws, regulations, judicial orders, or other government-initiated efforts” with the intent to discover how foreign governments, or the Biden administration, have limited Americans’ access to free speech.

“Throughout the previous Congress, the Committee expressed concern over YouTube’s censorship of conservatives and political speech,” Jordan wrote in a letter to Pichai in March. “To develop effective legislation, such as the possible enactment of new statutory limits on the executive branch’s ability to work with Big Tech to restrict the circulation of content and deplatform users, the Committee must first understand how and to what extent the executive branch coerced and colluded with companies and other intermediaries to censor speech.”

Jordan subpoenaed tech CEOs in 2023 as well, including Satya Nadella of Microsoft, Tim Cook of Apple and Pichai, among others.

Despite the recent action against the tech giant, the battle stretches back to President Donald Trump’s first administration. Cruz began his investigation of Google in 2019 when he questioned Karan Bhatia, the company’s Vice President for Government Affairs & Public Policy at the time, in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Cruz brought forth a presentation suggesting tech companies, including Google, were straying from free speech and leaning towards censorship.

Even during Congress’ recess, pressure on Google continues to mount as a federal court ruled Thursday that Google’s ad-tech unit violates U.S. antitrust laws and creates an illegal monopoly. This marks the second antitrust ruling against the tech giant as a different court ruled in 2024 that Google abused its dominance of the online search market.

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Poll: Democrats want Elon Musk jailed for trying to fix Washington

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A shocking new poll reveals that a staggering 71% of likely Democratic voters support imprisoning Elon Musk for his brief service in the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The survey, conducted by The Heartland Institute and Rasmussen Reports, underscores an alarming shift in progressive politics: jailing political opponents for attempting to rein in bureaucratic waste. As Justin Haskins writes in his May 9 Townhall op-ed, this poll is not just about Musk—it’s about the dangerous normalization of authoritarianism among America’s political left.

Key Details:

  • 71% of likely Democratic voters support jailing Musk for his role in eliminating government waste via DOGE.

  • 80% of ideological liberals, across parties, say they would imprison Musk for his public service.

  • Nearly 70% of Democrats support banning Musk from ever serving in government again—an unconstitutional measure.

Diving Deeper:

In his recent Townhall column, Justin Haskins warns that Elon Musk’s fall from liberal darling to “Public Enemy No. 1 for the modern left” stems from a single transgression: daring to challenge the D.C. establishment. Haskins opens by recognizing Musk’s past achievements—electric vehicles, space exploration, and defending free speech. But after briefly working in the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—an initiative aimed at cutting federal waste—Musk became a target of left-wing ire.

According to the Heartland Institute/Rasmussen poll, “Seven in ten likely Democratic voters want to imprison Musk for trying to make government more efficient.” Haskins adds, “This isn’t satire. This is the modern Democratic Party, where liberalism has evolved into authoritarianism dressed in the clothes of compassion and equity.”

The numbers become even more disturbing among self-identified liberals. A staggering 80% of ideological liberals said they’d support jailing Musk for participating in DOGE. Additionally, nearly 70% of Democrats back a proposal to ban him from ever working in government again—a position that clearly violates constitutional protections.

Musk’s unpopularity among Democrats has grown since his acquisition of X (formerly Twitter) and his commitment to restoring banned voices. Once celebrated as a climate champion, Musk is now demonized by the very groups that once hailed his green energy innovations. “He was supposed to walk in lockstep against conservatives at all times,” Haskins notes. “When he chose a different path… he committed a sin that some on the radical left simply cannot forgive.”

More importantly, the poll reflects a dangerous national trend: criminalizing political dissent. Haskins writes, “When nearly three-fourths of Democratic voters support jailing someone for participating in an effort to streamline federal agencies, we’ve crossed a dangerous line.” He continues, “This is the stuff of banana republics, not constitutional republics.”

The column concludes with a chilling reminder that the targeting of Elon Musk is not an isolated incident. “If they’re willing to jail Elon Musk for doing his job, what do you think they’ll do to the rest of us?” Haskins asks. The poll results reveal a left-wing movement increasingly comfortable using state power to punish those who refuse to conform.

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LEGO to invest $366 million on major U.S. expansion

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Quick Hit:

The LEGO Group is expanding its U.S. footprint with a $366 million investment to build a 2-million-square-foot warehouse in Virginia. The move will create 305 new jobs and deepen the company’s commitment to the United States.

Key Details:

  • The new warehouse and distribution center will be built in Prince George County, complementing LEGO’s upcoming factory in neighboring Chesterfield County that’s set to open in 2027.

  • Virginia secured the project through a $2.53 million Commonwealth Opportunity Fund grant, with additional support from state programs including the Virginia Jobs Investment Program and the Port of Virginia’s economic development incentives.

  • LEGO’s Chief Operations Officer Carsten Rasmussen said the center will “bring greater flexibility” to the company’s North American supply chain and reduce both customer wait times and environmental impact.

 

Diving

Deeper:

The LEGO Group will invest $366 million to build a 2 million-square-foot warehouse and distribution center in Prince George County, Virginia, a move expected to create 305 new jobs, according to a Thursday announcement by Governor Glenn Youngkin.

The project marks another milestone in LEGO’s ongoing U.S. expansion, following the 2022 announcement of its Chesterfield County factory currently under construction. The company’s operations in Virginia are projected to create more than 2,000 jobs total when both sites are fully up and running.

“The LEGO Group is not just a household name, it’s a symbol of creativity, innovation, and quality that resonates globally,” said Governor Youngkin. “Three years after choosing Virginia to establish its U.S. manufacturing plant, the LEGO Group’s decision to expand into Prince George County is an exciting new chapter in this partnership.”

LEGO’s global Chief Operations Officer, Carsten Rasmussen, said the regional distribution center “will shorten our supply chain in the region–reducing lead times for our customers as well as our environmental impact.” He praised the continued partnership with the Commonwealth.

State economic officials credited Virginia’s workforce and infrastructure for helping land the deal. “This investment brings high-quality jobs to Prince George County and reflects our broader commitment to building healthy, vibrant communities,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Juan Pablo Segura.

Virginia lawmakers representing the area praised the announcement. State Senator Lashrecse Aird said the investment means “new opportunities for families and a stronger foundation for our community.” Delegate Carrie Coyner echoed that sentiment, calling it “a testament to the kind of community we’ve built.”

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