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Testimony by Michael Shellenberger for a listening to on “Eliminating Waste by the Overseas Assist Paperwork” earlier than the Committee on Homeland Safety and Governmental Affairs on Thursday, February 13, 2025.
Mr. Shellenberger: «I believe it is very important perceive that USAID noticed this in a really complete method. It can be crucial, if we have a look at the case of Hunter Biden’s laptop computer, which is a particularly vital case, to know that the FBI was instrumentalized and used the Aspen Institute to brainwash your entire press. They not solely censored the data but additionally modified the notion of the laptop computer. They created the concept that it was one thing completely different from what it clearly was.
And that’s what these teams try to do. These are data operations, and USAID has been within the technique of taking management of so-called unbiased investigative media around the globe whereas concurrently coaching NGOs to demand censorship.
For instance, Mr. Aaron’s group has been working to coach organizations in secretly figuring out supposed disinformation. It’s one factor to publicly criticize somebody, which we should always all do, however this apply of appearing covertly and in secrecy… That’s not an open democracy.
This concept of going out and secretly flagging data to then demand censorship is an entire aberration. That’s not what our nation stands for.
To be clear, are you saying that USAID, in line with your analysis, is concerned on this «prebunking» technique, much like what they used with the laptop computer story within the fall of 2020?
Sure, and it’s precisely the identical strategy, the place many occasions what they do, for instance, with USAID and OCCRP, is filter intelligence from intelligence businesses.
Sure, it’s terrifying. And never like WikiLeaks, the place they merely printed all the things, maybe with out sufficient redactions. They strategically filter it after which manipulate media like The Guardian and The New York Occasions to publish sure tales and management your entire investigative information course of.»
