Mayorkas says Disinformation panel does not infringe free speech

A new government board that fights the spread of disinformation will not infringe on free speech, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said yesterday, admitting that the purpose of the panel could have been better communicated.

In an interview on Fox News Sunday, Mayorkas said the board has a narrowly defined mission to address disinformation from Russia, China, Iran, and the cartels. Our work does not infringe on free speech, infringe on civil rights or civil liberties, he continued. The individual has the right to spew anti-semitic rhetoric. What they don't have the right to do is take hostages in a synagogue. The Disinformation Governance Board, announced last week, has drawn immediate fire from some conservatives who worry it will be used to silence them. The Republican senator made a statement last week. Rob Portman of Ohio, who has authored a law to combat foreign propaganda and disinformation, said he was deeply concerned by the creation of the board. I do not believe that the United States government should turn the tools that we used to help our allies counter foreign adversaries onto the American people. The mission of the board could have been clearer, according to the mayorkas. He said that there are people in the department who have a wide range of views, and they are incredibly dedicated to the mission. We are not the opinion police. Disinformation is often used interchangeably between disinformation and misinformation, but it is often used as a tool of subversion by governments and intelligence agencies.