Matt Taibbi Surprised by FBI & Twitter's Collusion; Russiagate Info in Twitter Files

Who is Matt Taibbi Surprised by FBI & Twitter's Collusion; Russiagate Info in Twitter Files?

Taken from JRE 1940 w/Matt Taibbi:

Topics and Timestamps

• 01Matt Taibbi discusses the Twitter Files and revelations about FBI coordination with Twitter on content moderation
• 02The conversation covers how the FBI allegedly pressured Twitter to suppress certain narratives during the 2016 and 2020 elections
• 03Taibbi explains his findings about Russiagate information being amplified or suppressed based on political considerations
• 04The episode explores how government agencies and social media platforms may have collaborated on information control
• 05Discussion of the broader implications for free speech and institutional trust in media and government
• 06Taibbi shares his investigative process and how he uncovered these connections through internal Twitter documents
• ▶Taibbi introduces the Twitter Files discovery and FBI coordination0:00:00
• ▶Discussion of specific examples from internal Twitter communications with the FBI0:15:30
• ▶Taibbi explains how Russiagate narratives were handled differently based on political considerations0:35:45
• ▶Conversation about the broader implications for free speech and institutional independence0:52:15
• ▶Taibbi discusses his investigative process and how he verified the authenticity of documents1:08:00

The Show

Matt Taibbi sits down with Joe to break down one of the biggest stories of recent years: the Twitter Files and what they reveal about the relationship between the FBI and Twitter during critical election cycles. Taibbi had gotten his hands on internal Twitter communications that showed some genuinely wild stuff about how the social media giant was handling information, particularly around Russia-related narratives.

The core of what Taibbi's investigation uncovered was evidence suggesting the FBI was actively communicating with Twitter about content and accounts, often flagging things for removal or suppression. What makes this particularly interesting is the timing and the nature of what was being flagged. During the lead-up to and aftermath of the 2016 election and into 2020, there seemed to be a consistent pattern of coordination that went beyond normal law enforcement communication.

Taibbi explains how the Twitter Files revealed this wasn't just passive coordination either. There were actual requests, pressure, and follow-ups from federal agencies about specific content they wanted addressed. The surprising part for Taibbi himself was how explicit some of this communication was and how willing Twitter seemed to be in going along with it. What started as conversations about election security and foreign interference gradually seemed to expand into broader content moderation decisions.

The conversation touches on how narratives around Russia and election interference were being shaped or suppressed depending on which way they cut politically. If something made the Democratic side look bad, there seemed to be more pressure to suppress it. If something made the Republican side look bad, there was less urgency about removing it. Taibbi's investigation suggested the whole thing had become less about actual election security and more about managing narratives in a particular direction.

What really gets Joe and Taibbi going is the institutional trust question. These are supposed to be independent institutions. Twitter is a private company but it's the de facto public square. The FBI is a law enforcement agency with constitutional constraints. When they're coordinating on information control during elections, that's a pretty serious line being crossed, regardless of which side is doing it. The documents showed this wasn't some conspiracy theory or speculation but actual contemporaneous records of these conversations happening.

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