Subscribe!
Defining our truth.
Politico was the first to report that the Department of Homeland Security -DHS – “is standing up a new Disinformation Governance Board to coordinate countering misinformation related to homeland security, focused specifically on irregular migration and Russia. Nina Jankowicz will head the board as executive director. She previously was a disinformation fellow at the Wilson Center, advised the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry as part of the Fulbright Public Policy Fellowship and oversaw Russia and Belarus programs at the National Democratic Institute.”
The establishment of the board comes just days after Twitter accepted Tesla-founder Elon Musk’s offer to buy Twitter for $44 billion and to return it to an open platform dedicated to the First Amendment.
What does the First Amendment say?
Part of the U.S. Constitution, the First Amendment reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Who is the Disinformation Czar?
Nina Jankowicz, the newly appointed head of disinformation has garnered her share of curiosity. A devoted fan of social media, particularly TikTok and Twitter, herself, her videos range from tidbits on security to singing new verses to Mary Poppins. She is a hyperpartisan supporter of the Democratic party and once “claimed that armed Trump supporters would show up to the polls to intimidate voters”.
Jankowicz writes profusely and is the author of “How to Lose the Information War”. In its opening pages she writes, “Since the start of the Trump era, the United States and the Western world has finally begun to wake up to the threat of online warfare and the attacks from Russia, who flood social media with disinformation, and circulate false and misleading information to fuel fake narratives…”
She is in a “Wizard Rock Band” based on Harry Potter called the Moaning Myrtles.
In the White House press briefing, Jen Psaki answered questions about this new – Disinformation Governance Board – from a media scrum eager to learn more – Psaki seemed to be somewhat blind-sided by the announcement and here is the Q&A that ensured:
“Q And then on this new report that the Department of Homeland Security is setting up a Disinformation Governance Board to tackle misinformation ahead of the midterms: Secretary Mayorkas said that part of its intention was to tackle misinformation in Hispanic communities especially. Can you give us an idea of what this board is going to be doing, what their authority would look like?
MS. PSAKI: Sure, Jacqui. I really haven’t dug into this exactly. I mean, we, of course, support this effort, but let me see if I can get more specifics. We know that there has been a range of disinfo out there about a range of topics — I mean, including COVID, for example, and also elections and eligibility. But I will — I will check and see if there’s more specifics.
Q There’s been some criticism of the person who’s been chosen to oversee this board. She had previously called the Hunter Biden laptop a “Trump campaign product,” seeming to discredit its validity — or validity of reporting surrounding that.
How can you assuage concerns of people who are looking at this person who’s been appointed to this position and wondering if she’s going to be able to accurately judge misinformation now that a lot of that reporting has been proven to be factual in some ways?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I don’t have any comments on the laptop.
But what I can tell you is that it sounds like the objective of the board is to prevent disinformation and misinformation from traveling around the country in a range of communities. I’m not sure who opposes that effort, and I don’t know who this individual is, so I have no comments on it specifically.
Q Her name is Nina Jankowicz. She also just recently made some polarizing comments about the Twitter — Elon Musk’s Twitter purchase. It’s just getting some pushback from critics who are saying this person may not be the right choice for a board that is run by the Department of Homeland Security. Can you speak to that at all?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t have any information about this individual. I can check on more information about the board.”
Nina Jankowicz as Mary Poppins:
Jankowicz has many singing videos – here is the most recent where she sings about disinformation:
And – another from Jankowicz performance at a local event:
Congress steps in:
Responding to the “Orwellian” announcement, several legislators are submitting legislation to not fund this new board.
Rep. Boebert of Colorado submitted an emergency bill terminating all Department of Homeland Security funding for Disinformation Governance Board and prohibits all funding of any free speech restriction entity in future.
Elon Musk declared it “messed up.”
Many on the right likened it to the Ministry of Truth from George Orwell’s book “1984.” The Ministry of Truth is involved with news media, entertainment, the fine arts and educational books. Its purpose is to rewrite history to change the facts to fit Party doctrine for propaganda effect. This ministry keeps members of society poor and in a perpetual state of wanting; this way, they are easier for Big Brother to control.
Update: We learn that the position has been in place for two months. The “Board” has no authority to fine or monitor anyone or any organization. They do have the ability to distribute funds. One analysis shows this department will administer funds primarily to the Hispanic communities who have “been impacted by disinformation” – also the target group of the next Democratic election.