YouTube removed a live stream recording of the Pennsylvania Family Institute’s Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Forum held at Cairn University in Langhorne on Thursday.
The social media company pulled the video Sunday because it apparently violated their misinformation policy, but didn’t offer specific examples. The Philadelphia Inquirer suggested it may have had to do with the first question posed to the candidates about restoring “election integrity.” Lou Barletta, for instance, answered that dead people are voting and that mail ballots are used to “steal elections.”
The video is still available on Facebook for you to watch.
“This is a blatant assault on free speech, free elections, on the ability of candidates to freely state their views, and on the right of citizens to hear the varied perspectives of those who are seeking their votes,” said Pennsylvania Family Institute President Michael Geer, who co-moderated the forum with conservative radio host Rich Zeoli. “It hinders the process of democracy, shuts down the free marketplace of ideas, and ironically, further erodes confidence in our elections.”
Voters should know what candidates think and believe, and YouTube ought to restore the video.
