Should Media Outlets Owned by Foreign Gov’ts (Like Russia Today) be Investigated as Foreign Agents? (S. 625)

What is S. 625?

(Updated February 1, 2021)

This bill would give the Dept. of Justice (DOJ) additional authority to investigate violations by state-owned media outlets of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which requires that lobbyists for foreign governments disclose that relationship and activities they carry out. Under current law, media outlets owned by foreign governments aren’t required to register and disclose their activities as foreign agents.

The DOJ would be able to demand documentary material from such outlets related to their funding and foreign connections, but couldn’t request information that’s considered unreasonable or would be protected from disclosure under a subpoena.

Argument in favor

Foreign, state-owned media outlets like Russian-owned RT shouldn’t be allowed to structure themselves in a way that lets them avoid compliance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act and spew propaganda into the U.S. This bill gives the Justice Dept. authority to investigate such outlets.

Argument opposed

This bill is an attempt to stifle the First Amendment rights of media outlets owned by foreign governments. Besides, if the bill’s sponsor wants to investigate Russian-owned RT, she should also be going after the British-owned BBC and French-owned France24, among other foreign networks.

Impact

Media outlets owned by foreign governments; and the Justice Dept.

Cost of S. 625

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced this bill to give the DOJ new authority to investigate possible violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act by RT America, which is owned by the Russian government:

“We have good reason to believe that RT News is coordinating with the Russian government to spread misinformation and undermine our democratic process. The American public has a right to know if this is the case. RT News has made public statements boasting that it can dodge our laws with shell corporations, and it’s time for the Department of Justice to investigate. My bill provides the authority needed to request documentation of RT News and find out who they’re accountable to.”

A post by RT pushed back against Shaheen’s bill, pointing out that media outlets were excluded from FARA requirements because their activities are protected by the FIrst Amendment. It also accused Shaheen of being focused on a state-owned Russian outlet while ignoring other state-owned media outlets operating in the U.S.:

“While RT being a Russian state-funded news outlet is common knowledge, Senator Shaheen presented this fact as something requiring additional investigation. However, numerous foreign state-owned media outlets [are] operating in the US, which include the BBC, France24, and DW, do not seem to bother Senator Shaheen. All of them openly proclaim promoting their country’s values (BBC) or vision (France24), while a Russian perspective is for some reason perceived as being vile “” and a “.”

This legislation has the support of three cosponsors in the Senate — including two Democrats and one Republican.

Media:

• Sponsoring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) Press Release
  
• Politico
  
• Washington Free Beacon
  
• RT (Opposed)