What First Amendment protection of free speech?
The United States may not be at war, but hosts of “The View” advocated on Monday for some Americans, whom they claim are pro-Russia, to be investigated — or even arrested.
What did they say?
Fox News host Tucker Carlson and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) have repeatedly been accused of parroting pro-Kremlin rhetoric, though each have denied being mouthpieces for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Still, “The View” co-host Ana Navarro said Monday she wants the Justice Department to investigate.
“I think DOJ, in the same way that it is setting up a task force to investigate [Russian] oligarchs, should look into people who are Russian propagandists and shilling for Putin,” Navarro said. “If you are a foreign asset to a dictator, it should be investigated.”
Co-host Whoopi Goldberg then invoked criminal detention.
“They used to arrest people for doing stuff like this,” Goldberg said. “If they thought you were colluding with a Russian agent or putting out information or taking information and handing it over to Russia, they used to actually investigate stuff like this. And I guess now, you know, there seems to be no bars.”
Earlier in the segment when co-host Sunny Hostin questioned “what’s in it” for Carlson, co-host Joy Behar did not skip a beat and replied, “Money.” Behar, of course, did not provide evidence to corroborate her suggestion that Carlson is a Kremlin-paid propagandist.
Earlier in the segment, the hosts voiced agreement with Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who on Sunday accused Gabbard of “treasonous lies.” For her part, Gabbard responded to Romney on Monday, challenging him to resign if he cannot provide evidence to substantiate his accusations.
Russia Using Tucker Carlson In Propaganda? | The View www.youtube.com
Despite once being staunch defenders of free speech, liberals have pilloried Carlson in recent months over what they claim is pro-Russia propaganda, even claiming Carlson is guilty of treason.
But such serious accusations fall flat, especially considering the Constitution’s treason clause — Article III, Section 3 — was crafted to protect Americans from frivolous allegations and prosecutions of treason.
The Constitution states:
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.
The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture except during the life of the person attainted.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has upheld criminalizing certain free speech that would otherwise be protected by the First Amendment during wartime in the landmark 1919 case Schenck v. United States.
However, Brandenburg v. Ohio partially overturned Schenck 50 years later when the Supreme Court narrowed what limitations could be placed on the First Amendment.