Nancy Pelosi doesn’t seem to like Facebook very much.
The House Speaker slammed Facebook on Thursday for engaging in “shameful” and “irresponsible” behavior, ratcheting up tensions between the Democratic leadership and the social media giant.
“I think what they have said very blatantly, very clearly is that they intend to be accomplices for misleading the American people with money from God knows where,” Pelosi said.
The not so friendly remarks were made Thursday during Pelosi’s weekly press conference on Capitol Hill and came in response to a question about the power held by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
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Pelosi also suggested that Facebook puts profits above all else.
“I think they have been very abusive of the great opportunity that technology has given them,” she said. “All they want is their tax cuts and no anti-trust action against them. They schmooze this administration in that regard because so far that is what they’ve received.”
Facebook declined to comment for this story. Zuckerberg and other Facebook executives have made recent overtures to patch up their relationship with President Trump and Washington lawmakers.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi presides over Articles of Impeachment in Washington, DC, on Dec. 18, 2019. (Photo: SAUL LOEB, AFP via Getty Images)
These are the latest fireworks for Facebook in the increasingly tense relationship with Washington lawmakers.
Pelosi ripped Facebook last year after the company refused to take down a video that was doctored to make it sound like she was slurring her words.
“We have said all along, poor Facebook, they were unwittingly exploited by the Russians. I think wittingly, because right now they are putting up something that they know is false. I think it’s wrong,” she said in an interview with California radio station KQED in May.
The House speaker went on to say that she “can take it” but adds that Facebook is “lying to the public.”
“I think they have proven – by not taking down something they know is false – that they were willing enablers of the Russian interference in our election,” she continued.
Another major bone of contention is Facebook’s refusal to fact check ads run by politicians.
“I think their behavior is shameful,” Pelosi said.
During an interview with “CBS This Morning” earlier this month, Zuckerberg reiterated the company’s belief they should not censor politicians.
“What I believe is that in a democracy it’s really important that people can see for themselves what politicians are saying, so they can make their open judgments,” Zuckerberg said.
That argument has not persuaded some. Star Wars actor Mark Hamill said Sunday that he deleted his Facebook account because it has given itself over to the dark side, putting profits before “truthfulness.”
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