*By Carlo Versano*
Google is "missing an opportunity" by not sending a top official to Capitol Hill next week to testify on election interference and censorship, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) told Cheddar's J.D. Durkin on Wednesday.
Facebook and Twitter are both sending C-Suite executives ー COO Sheryl Sandberg and CEO Jack Dorsey, respectively ー to testify in front of both chambers on Sept. 5.
So far, Google has said it will only dispatch its general counsel, Kent Walker.
"We need policy makers, not simply their lawyers," Warner said.
The heads of the top social and web platforms will head to the Hill to answer questions about how they are combating misinformation campaigns from state actors like Russia and Iran ahead of the midterm elections. Additionally, they are expected to face pointed questions about censorship ー a topic that President Trump has been pushing, most recently on Wednesday afternoon when he told reporters, "I think they treat Republicans and conservatives very unfairly" and such handling "may not be legal."
That echoes the sentiment of several Trump tweets Tuesday which suggested that Google News technology suppressed conservative views. Economic adviser Larry Kudlow said the White House would look into the matter, but many questioned Trump's statements on their face.
"The president doesn't really understand how search algorithms work," Warner said, noting that content is ranked in searches as a result of computer calculations, not human action.
The last time officials from Facebook, Twitter, and Google testified together ー last November on the topic of Russian hacking ー the reaction from lawmakers was largely negative. Since then, each company has shown a more proactive approach to the policing of their platforms.
Warner said he hopes next week's hearings will be forward-looking. "We want to look at solution sets" for these complex problems, he said.
President Trump appeared in Wisconsin on Thursday to praise Foxconn for its decision to build a manufacturing plant in the state. But many Wisconsin taxpayers are wary of the $4 billion in tax incentives that Gov. Scott Walker engineered to woo the Taiwan-based company. This comes just days after the president criticized Wisconsin-based Harley Davidson for moving some of its production abroad. "These new taxes on imports ... are driving other businesses away," says Eric Boehm, reporter at Reason.com.
If Republicans are able to force a vote before November on whoever is nominated to fill Justice Anthony Kennedy's seat on the Supreme Court, it still may not affect midterm election results all that much. That's according to Kyle Kondik, managing editor at Sabato’s Crystal Ball. “Frankly, if the seat was open, it may be more of a motivator for Republicans to show up.”
The U.S. District Appeals Court Judge has a history of conservative, pro-business rulings and has “Republican partisan chops,” according to Heather Timmons, White House correspondent for Quartz. And while Democrats might try to delay confirming any nomination of another conservative judge, Timmons said “what they can do about it is pretty minimal.”
The White House announced plans to ease restrictions on Chinese investment in U.S. technology companies on Wednesday. The Trump administration won't block companies with 25 percent or more of Chinese ownership from buying into the U.S. tech sector. Markets rebounded on the news.
The results are in from Tuesday's primary elections. Zach Montellaro, campaign reporter at Politico, joins Cheddar to weigh in on the shocking political upset in New York's 14th district. Political newcomer Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defeated Rep. Joe Crowley, the fourth most powerful Democrat in the House.
Plus, Conagra Brands is buying Pinnacle Foods in a cash-and-stock deal worth $10.9 billion. The deal will create the second largest frozen food company in the U.S., just behind Nestle. Conagra owns Healthy Choice and Pinnacle owns Birds Eye.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez unseated the incumbent Democratic Congressman Joe Crowley in the primary for New York's 14th District Tuesday. The 28-year-old progressive's victory came as a surprise to many, including President Trump who tweeted this was a “big one that nobody saw coming.”
The web hosting company, which in most cases supports a "free and open internet," made the "incredibly difficult" decision to pull the white supremacist organization's site last year. CEO Scott Wagner said it was a rare instance of content that promotes violence. GoDaddy ousted that website in the immediate aftermath of violence in Charlottesville, Vir.
President Trump attacked Harley-Davidson after the company decided to shift some of its motorcycle production overseas to avoid EU tariffs. Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) gives us his take on Trump's comments.
The Missouri congressman and former Kansas City mayor said that Harley-Davidson's decision to move some of its motorcycle production abroad is just the first sign of a slowdown in the American economy and that President Trump's tariffs are to blame.
Instagram is now estimated at over $100 billion in value. Venmo rolls out an actual plastic debit card with Mastercard. The FDA approves its first marijuana-derived medication. The newest member of the Bush family is Sully the service dog. The yellow lab has been assigned to President George H.W. Bush, who is 94, and recovering from recent hospitalizations.
A UK court ruled that the company had made "substantial changes" to how it runs its business and is now "fit and proper" to operate in one of its largest markets. The court renewed Uber's license for 15 months, subject to strict conditions. London's transport authority refused to renew Uber's license in September, citing its working conditions and lack of strong safety measures.
