Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has been subpoenaed by Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) in connection with an ongoing investigation into alleged censorship by the federal government, according to a press release.

The subpoena demands documents and communications related to the Committee’s inquiry into whether the government has coerced and colluded with private companies and third-party groups to censor speech.

“The Twitter Files and other public reporting have exposed how the federal government has pressured and colluded with Big Tech and other intermediaries to censor certain viewpoints on social and other media in ways that undermine First Amendment principles,” Jordan’s subpoena states.

The subpoena also asserts that “the First Amendment prohibits government officials from imposing viewpoint-based censorship restrictions.”

The Judiciary Committee’s investigation aims to uncover “how and to what extent the Executive Branch coerced and colluded with companies and other intermediaries to censor speech” and whether the CDC was involved.

In the subpoena, Chairman Jordan expressed concern over “the weaponization of the federal government’s power to censor speech online directly and by proxy.”

Previously, on March 22, 2023, the Committee had requested voluntary cooperation from the CDC, seeking internal communications, communications with private companies, and communications with other third parties discussing content moderation.

However, according to the subpoena, “the CDC has failed to produce any documents responsive to the Committee’s request.”

The subpoena is part of the Judiciary Committee’s oversight of matters concerning “civil liberties” and potential legislative reforms.

H. Res. 12 authorized the Committee’s Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government to investigate “issues related to the violation of the civil liberties of citizens of the United States.”

Read the full subpoena below: