The Heritage Foundation lamented the “outrageous” accusations that it was protecting big technology companies after Fox News host Tucker Carlson accused it of doing so.
During his show Friday night, Carlson did a segment about how the Heritage Foundation, along with other conservative nonprofit organizations, was helping big technology companies such as Facebook, Google, and Twitter despite claims that those companies discriminate against conservatives.
Carlson singled out the Heritage Foundation, where he used to work, and noted that it wrote a letter defending technology companies from a bill proposed by Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley that would strip their protections against libel. The Fox News host explained that the language used in Heritage’s piece mirrored that of a letter written by technology lobbyists.
“A recent paper by Heritage entitled ‘Free enterprise is the best remedy for online bias concerns’ defends the special privileges that Congress has given to left-wing Silicon Valley monopolies. And if conservatives don’t like it, Heritage says, well, they can go start their own Google. The paper could’ve been written by tech lobbyists. In fact, it may have been written by tech lobbyists,” Carlson said. “A trade association that represents Silicon Valley called the liability exemption that Google enjoys ‘the most important law in tech.’ Well, Heritage’s paper repeats that line verbatim. Word for word. Along with many other lines that the lobbyist wrote.”
Carlson added, “It’s embarrassing.”
On Saturday, Heritage pushed back on Carlson’s claims in a statement posted to its website. The foundation called Carlson’s attacks “false.”
“It was, therefore, incredibly disappointing to hear Tucker Carlson, whom we hold in high regard, mislead his viewers about Heritage’s work on the topics of big tech and censorship. Carlson is a former employee of Heritage who last year received our prestigious Salvatori Prize and who regularly features Heritage guests on his Fox News program,” the statement said. “In other words, he knows Heritage, our people, and our principles.”
Heritage noted that the report referenced by Carlson contained footnote citations that detailed where the information came from.
“The conclusions of Heritage’s report were based on the principles that guide all of our policy recommendations — principles Carlson seems curiously less interested in defending. Instead, he made an unfounded assertion against Heritage and outrageous smear of one of our scholars. It is disappointing that Carlson would deceive his viewers with such patently false information,” the foundation said.
It added, “It should come as no surprise that Heritage supports empowering consumers rather than government.”
The foundation noted that the Daily Signal, a publication produced by Heritage, has been a victim of censorship from Google and YouTube.
The foundation concluded its statement, writing, “We won’t be intimidated or bullied as we continue to represent the interests of conservatives and all Americans.”
