A recent report from the House Judiciary Committee has sparked significant attention, shedding light on the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) actions following Elon Musk’s acquisition of X, formerly known as Twitter. According to the report published Monday, FTC Chair Lina Khan swiftly initiated an aggressive series of measures aimed at Musk shortly after he took over the social media platform in October 2022.
Long before Musk’s controversial purchase, Twitter had been bound by a consent decree issued by the FTC—a formal agreement compelling the company to amend certain business practices. However, for three years, there was little movement on enforcing that decree. The report revealed that this changed dramatically when Khan ordered “an immediate vote” to finalize the enforcement, days after Musk assumed ownership.
While Khan has consistently denied that the timing of the vote was influenced by Musk’s acquisition, internal communications suggest otherwise. An email from Khan’s own attorney advisor stated bluntly, “The urgency is due to Elon Musk’s purchase of the company this week.” This revelation supports the report’s claim that Khan’s actions were politically motivated.
The implications of the decree allowed the FTC to make extensive demands for documents and information from Twitter. In just the first three months of Musk’s leadership, more than a dozen letters were sent to the company, requiring over 350 separate pieces of documentation. Notably, many of these requests targeted any communication involving or referring to Musk himself—far beyond the scope of the consent decree’s original intention.
The House Judiciary Committee’s findings highlighted that the FTC was unable to justify these extensive demands when questioned. “The only reasonable explanation, then, for requiring all communications remotely related to Musk would be as a tool for the FTC to harass Musk,” the report noted.
Adding to the controversy, the FTC also probed into journalists associated with X, demanding information about individuals covering issues related to Big Tech and governmental overreach. Among those journalists was Matt Taibbi, known for authoring the “Twitter Files” and reporting on topics exposing abuses within large technology firms and federal agencies. This move raised concerns about the FTC potentially using its power to suppress voices advocating for free speech.
X CEO Linda Yaccarino addressed the report’s findings, stating, “The FTC Commissioners clearly targeted our company for political reasons. To say this is troubling is an understatement. We’ve worked in good faith for years with the FTC and thought they had been as well. We need answers immediately.”
This revelation paints a picture of political maneuvering at the highest levels, intensifying debates over whether governmental bodies have been weaponized for partisan purposes. The report’s findings put the spotlight on the intersection of politics, regulatory oversight, and freedom of speech, posing questions about how these entities operate and the transparency needed to maintain trust in public institutions.
