(DailyVantage.com) – 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has requested a restraining order barring Google from censoring his 2024 campaign speech. Kennedy filed his complaint in the U.S. District Court’s Northern District of California against Google and its subsidiary, YouTube. An emergency hearing will happen before Judge Nathanael Cousins.
Kennedy alleges that Google has worked with the federal government to enforce “misinformation” policies that censor political opponents. If true, this could violate the First Amendment since a public-private partnership that censors speech would have government participation. Other cases have been before state attorneys general in the 5th Circuit. However, Kennedy is unique because he seeks an order against Google rather than government officials, making the potential decision have greater legal significance.
Kennedy has repeatedly been subject to attack from news and articles that have labeled him as promoting misinformation, which could lead to his active censorship by tech and social media companies, hindering his 2024 presidential campaign. FiveThirtyEight aggregate polling has shown a decrease in Kennedy’s performance compared to President Joe Biden, with Biden holding over a 50-point lead of 64.9% to 14.3%. While Marianne Williamson is also running for president in the Democratic primary again, she is not in enough polls. However, some polls show her in the single digits.
The minimum threshold for delegates in the Democratic primary is 15%. However, while a candidate could get less than 15% statewide if they get more than 15% in a congressional district, they can still have one or more delegates. This rule could allow Kennedy to win some delegates in a primary that otherwise would be uncontested. While popular within the Democratic Party, Biden’s disapproval still sits above his approval. Currently, Biden holds a net disapproval rating of 13.8%, with 54.5% disapproving and 40.7% approving, indicating that a sizable portion of the American public could be open to other candidates, including Democrats. This helps Kennedy, despite censorship and media attacks that otherwise are directed toward him.
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