GOP Rep. calls for investigation of Democrat lawmakers attempting to censor conservative TV outlets

Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., has requested a House Committee on Oversight and Accountability investigation of an alleged attempt by Democrats in Congress to censor conservative television outlets, including One America News Network and Newsmax.

"It has come to my attention that in 2021, Congressional Democrats sent official letters to numerous private television companies urging them to take retaliatory action against certain 'right wing' media outlets like Newsmax, Fox News, and OAN," wrote Burchett to Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chairman of the committee, and Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the ranking member, in a letter dated April 17 that he posted this week on X.

"Then, in 2022, DirectTV, Verizon Fios, and Frontier all declined to renew their contracts with OAN. The timing of these events is cause for concern, as members of Congress have no business pressuring private companies to shut down the speech of those with different ideologies than theirs," he wrote.

Burchett argued that the "idea of large, publicly traded companies taking retaliatory action against conservative outlets is concerning."

He said there should be an "investigation and hearing on the continued censorship of conservative news media outlets."

"The Republican House majority cannot and should not stand idly by as Democrats deny our constituents' access to information," he wrote.