Facebook hires away top Dem from Senate panel probing Big Tech | Fox Business

Facebook has hired a highly influential Democratic aide away from a Senate committee that has set its sights on reigning in Big Tech, as the company aims to fend off threats from Congress and the Biden administration. The company confirmed to FOX Business that John Branscome, staff director and former chief counsel for the Senate Commerce subcommittee on technology, will be joining the ranks of its federal policy team.Ticker Security Last Change Change % FB FACEBOOK, INC. 378.69 +0.69 +0.18% SEN. RON JOHNSON DEMANDS ANSWERS FROM BIDEN ON ADMINISTRATION’S WORK WITH BIG TECH TO CENSOR ONLINE POSTS One Democrat told Politico, which first reported the news, that the hire “was a stroke of brilliance by Facebook,” adding, “You’d be hard-pressed to get somebody more respected than John Branscome in that position.”The move comes as lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle have vowed to impose more stringent regulations on social media giants like Facebook and Twitter, with Republicans arguing that big tech is actively censoring conservatives while Democrats say the companies should be forced to do more to stamp out “misinformation” on their sites. With Democrats currently controlling both chambers of Congress along with the presidency, Branscome’s hire could…
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