Judge schedules emergency hearing for RFK Jr.’s Google censorship lawsuit.
Emergency Hearing Set for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Lawsuit Against YouTube and Google
Two weeks after filing a lawsuit against YouTube and its parent company Google, Democrat presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will have his case addressed at an emergency hearing on Aug. 16. The hearing was set by Federal Magistrate Judge Nathanael Cousins in response to Mr. Kennedy’s request for a temporary restraining order to prevent Google from censoring his speech on YouTube during the 2024 campaign.
Mr. Kennedy’s lawsuit, filed on Aug. 2 in the U.S. District Court Northern District of California, alleges that YouTube violated his First Amendment rights by removing videos of his speeches and interviews. The lawsuit claims that Google collaborated with the federal government to develop and enforce “medical misinformation” policies as a means to censor political opponents.
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The emergency hearing will take place in a San Jose, California, courthouse. Mr. Kennedy’s campaign spokesperson explained that the actions of Google and YouTube violate the First Amendment when they collaborate with the government to achieve censorship goals.
Scott Street, the attorney leading Mr. Kennedy’s litigation, expressed gratitude for the early hearing and emphasized that society will suffer if the censorship continues. He stated, “Google will not suffer any harm from being ordered not to censor Mr. Kennedy during his campaign.”
Since announcing his candidacy in April, Mr. Kennedy has faced criticism for his views on COVID vaccines. As the son of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and the nephew of President John F. Kennedy and Sen. Ted Kennedy, he is an environmental attorney and the founder of Children’s Health Defense. Mr. Kennedy has been vocal about what he perceives as the dangers of COVID-19 vaccines and vaccines in general.
During a House Judiciary Committee hearing on July 20, Mr. Kennedy’s comments on vaccines and the COVID-19 pandemic sparked heated exchanges between Democrats and Republicans. Republicans defended Mr. Kennedy, while Democrats attempted to cancel his appearance and move the testimony behind closed doors. Both attempts were unsuccessful.
In his testimony, Mr. Kennedy highlighted YouTube’s removal of his speech when he announced his candidacy, emphasizing the importance of respectful debate for democracy. His lawsuit against YouTube and Google is unique because it seeks an order against Google itself, rather than government officials.
According to Mr. Kennedy’s campaign, YouTube has become an important platform for political discourse in America, and Google’s censorship has affected countless Americans. YouTube claims that its Community Guidelines apply equally to all creators, regardless of political viewpoint. However, Mr. Kennedy argues that YouTube’s actions were done in partnership with the federal government to silence critics.
The lawsuit contends that there is a close enough connection between YouTube and the government that YouTube’s actions can be treated as those of the government itself. The case will be heard in court to determine the outcome of Mr. Kennedy’s request for a temporary restraining order against Google’s censorship.
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