Rubio, Tenney Urge Senate Secretary, House Clerk to Reject Attempts by Chinese Communist Party to Silence American Publisher

Press Release

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and U.S. Representative Claudia Tenney (R-NY) sent a letter to Cheryl Johnson, Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Sonceria Ann Berry, Secretary of the U.S. Senate, following reports that Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company (Hikvision) urged their offices to investigate Internet Protocol Video Market (IPVM) for supposed lobbying disclosure violations. In doing so, Hikvision attempted to exploit congressional processes to silence IPVM for its unfavorable reporting about the Chinese state-controlled video surveillance company.

"As Chinese state-backed and directed firms continue to feel pressure from various sanctions first implemented under the Trump Administration, Hikvision's efforts to silence dissent using your offices will likely be replicated by other malign entities tied to the CCP," the lawmakers wrote. "Congress should take no part in these efforts. We urge your respective offices to see Hikvision's smear campaign against IPVM for what it is worth and to remain vigilant against future attempts to use your offices as a mechanism to chill free speech and silence dissent."

Source