Zuckerberg, Dorsey could face another subpoena vote, says panel chief

The Senate Judiciary Committee is preparing to subpoena Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey, the panel’s chairman, Lindsey Graham, announced on Monday.

GOP senators sought the Facebook Inc. and Twitter Inc. chief executive officers, who are also due to testify before the Senate Commerce Committee on Oct. 28, after the companies moved to curb the spread of a controversial New York Post story on Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

Judiciary committee staff are discussing voluntary appearances, added Graham, a South Carolina Republican, but Zuckerberg and Dorsey will face a panel vote on the subpoenas if the two sides can’t agree to the testimony.

Republicans have been increasing their attacks on the companies, whom they accuse of trying to bolster Biden in the upcoming election.

Senator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican and a member of both the Judiciary and Commerce panels, told reporters on a Monday call with conservative activists that he expected the appearances before the Nov. 3 election, and that he wanted the committee hearings to be held separately.

Twitter and Facebook declined to comment. They have previously denied bias against conservatives.

Graham and Cruz announced plans last week to subpoena the CEOs on Tuesday over the companies’ moves to limit the spread of the article on alleged exchanges between Hunter Biden and a Ukrainian executive.

The CEOs will be testifying to Commerce panel about a shield from liability for user content, as well as privacy.