Our friends at NewsBusters reported earlier this week that more than 35 organizations, including ConservativeHQ.com, have signed a pledge to reject money from Big Tech
organizations like Google, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Apple and others. In a separate statement, MRC Founder and President Brent Bozell stated, "We are sending this pledge to all conservative organizations and leaders and urging them to sign it. We must act together to end Silicon Valley’s corrupt grip over Washington and our public discourse."
Here's Brent Bozell's statement in full:
Recently, the Heritage Foundation announced they had turned down two six-figure contributions from Google and Facebook. We commend Heritage and now urge all conservatives to do the same. Silicon Valley’s money is toxic and it’s poisoning our society. Big Tech - Facebook, Twitter, Google, YouTube and others - are pouring millions upon millions of dollars into Washington trying to buy influence. Conservatives must resist.
We are calling on everyone in Washington to publicly declare, as Heritage and others have already done, that henceforth they will not accept any toxic funding from Big Tech; or, if they do, that they will recuse themselves from the Big Tech censorship debate. The example must be set by us, so it begins with this call to the conservative movement ourselves. We are sending this pledge to all conservative organizations and leaders and urging them to sign it. We must act together to end Silicon Valley’s corrupt grip over Washington and our public discourse.
Here is the letter in full asking conservative leaders to reject Big Tech money:
Dear Conservative leader,
Big Tech has gone too far and its abuses are corrupting our government and elections. We members of the Free Speech Alliance call on every conservative leader and organization to reject any financial support from Big Tech or their surrogates. Including, but not limited to Google, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, and Apple.
For the last several years, Silicon Valley has grown more powerful and they are abusing that power by censoring conservative thought, individuals, and organizations. Through their deliberate censorship, Big Tech prevented a president from communicating with his voters during an election. As a result of Big Tech’s overt liberal agenda, they are censoring entire movements, like the right to life movement. Finally, they are actively censoring conservative leaders simply for voicing their beliefs.
Big Tech’s power over our public dialogue is a threat to our American democracy. This must stop. This problem will not get better until conservatives draw a line in the sand and reject the toxic influence of Big Tech cash. Big Tech money is political toxic waste.
Therefore, starting today, we are launching a campaign urging individuals and organizations to publicly take the following pledge. It is our intention to maintain a public list of people and organizations that have signed the pledge.
As of this date going forward, I/we ___________ pledge that I/we will not accept any financial support from Big Tech and its surrogates. Specifically, I/we will not accept any donations from, but not limited to, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, and Apple; or if I/we do accept donations from Big Tech, I/we will recuse myself/ourselves from the debate about online freedom altogether. If, from this date forward, I/we inadvertently accept any financial support from big tech companies, I/we pledge to return that support immediately and publicly. I/we make this pledge understanding that Big Tech is corrupt and poses an existential threat to our democracy. Immediate steps must be taken to ensure all people have online freedom and that elections are kept free from Big Tech’s dangerous influence.
Signed,
L. Brent Bozell III
President and Founder
Media Research Center
Tony Perkins
President
Family Research Council
LTC Allen West
Chairman
Republican Party of Texas
Mathew D. Staver, Esq., B.C.S.
Founder and Chairman
Liberty Counsel
Rachel Bovard
Senior Director of Policy
Conservative Partnership Institute
David N. Bossie
President
Citizens United
Mark Fitzgibbons
President of Corporate Affairs
American Target Advertising, Inc.
Bill Donohue
President
The Catholic League
Floyd Brown
President
Western Center for Journalism
Brigitte Gabriel
President
ACT for America
Austin Ruse
President
Center for Family and Human Rights
Susan Carleson
Chairman/CEO
American Civil Rights Union
Lori Roman
President
American Civil Rights Union
Sandy Rios
Director of Governmental Affairs
American Family Association
Terry Schilling
Executive Director
American Principles Project
Jon Schweppe
Communications Director
American Principles Project
Gary Bauer
President
American Values
Michelle Easton
Board President
Clare Boothe Luce Center for Conservative Women
Will Chamberlain
Editor-in-Chief and Publisher
Human Events
Christie Lee McNally
President
Raven Strategies
David Kupelian
Vice President and Managing Editor
WND
George Rasley
Managing Editor
Conservative HQ
Eunie Smith
President ProTem
Eagle Forum
Richard Norman
Founder & President
Richard Norman Company
Craig Shirley
Founder, Chairman & CEO
Shirley & McVicker
John-Henry Westen
Editor-in-Chief, Co-Founder
Life Site News
Steven Ertelt
Editor
LifeNews.com
Brian Brown
President
International Organization for the Family
Ryan Bomberger
Cofounder
The Radiance Foundation
Elaine Donnelly
President
Center for Military Readiness
Gene Mills
President
Louisiana Family Forum
John Hinderaker
President
Center of the American Experiment
Kathleen Patten
President & CEO
American Target Advertising
Alexandre Pesey
Founder
The Tocqueville Fellowship
Amy Kremer
Chairman
Women for America First
Thomas Lifson
Editor & Publisher
American Thinker
R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr.
Editor-in-Chief & Founder
American Spectator
Governor Scott Walker
President
Young America's Foundation
Lone Conservative
James Taylor
President
Heartland Institute
Conservative Organizations
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