Russell Brand: Big Tech, Media Ignored Hunter Biden Story ‘Because They Didn’t Want It To Influence the Election’

BRAND Did the media ░░░░░░░░ social media conspire together ░░░░░░░░ keep information about Joe ░░░░░░░░ and Hunter Biden s ░░░░░░░░ with foreign energy companies ░░░░░░░░ of the media The ░░░░░░░░ is yes they did ░░░░░░░░ s Glenn Greenwald on ░░░░░░░░ podcast Under the Skin ░░░░░░░░ about how they did ░░░░░░░░ Interesting GREENWALD The idea ░░░░░░░░ a huge archive of ░░░░░░░░ that sheds light on ░░░░░░░░ powerful people are doing ░░░░░░░░ it wasn t just ░░░░░░░░ Hunter Biden was doing ░░░░░░░░ ultimately if it were ░░░░░░░░ that who would care ░░░░░░░░ he s just the ░░░░░░░░ of a politician What ░░░░░░░░ had interest in is ░░░░░░░░ the material to allow ░░░░░░░░ to investigate those questions ░░░░░░░░ one of the reasons ░░░░░░░░ interests me is because ░░░░░░░░ s been a lot ░░░░░░░░ the journalism I ve ░░░░░░░░ Obviously I ve done ░░░░░░░░ lot of work with ░░░░░░░░ about Wikileaks which works ░░░░░░░░ huge archives like that ░░░░░░░░ well so it s ░░░░░░░░ journalistically when you see ░░░░░░░░ like that you get ░░░░░░░░ to it right right ░░░░░░░░ want it s like ░░░░░░░░ treasure trove it s ░░░░░░░░ your job is to ░░░░░░░░ at those documents and ░░░░░░░░ together and investigate to ░░░░░░░░ what it is that ░░░░░░░░ reveal about powerful people ░░░░░░░░ you don t want ░░░░░░░░ do that as a ░░░░░░░░ like go do anything ░░░░░░░░ BRAND Glenn Greenwald for ░░░░░░░░ of you don t ░░░░░░░░ is one of the ░░░░░░░░ who brought the Edward ░░░░░░░░ revelations to the public ░░░░░░░░ he was working at ░░░░░░░░ Guardian he s continued ░░░░░░░░ work with whistleblowers and ░░░░░░░░ a challenging journalist doing ░░░░░░░░ incredible stories in Brazil ░░░░░░░░ he lives now with ░░░░░░░░ husband he s a ░░░░░░░░ forthright brilliant thinker and ░░░░░░░░ winning journalist And I ░░░░░░░░ fascinated by his views ░░░░░░░░ how he seems to ░░░░░░░░ migrating across formerly quite ░░░░░░░░ political territories GREENWALD There ░░░░░░░░ a lot of documents ░░░░░░░░ raise serious questions about ░░░░░░░░ Joe Biden the person ░░░░░░░░ the time running for ░░░░░░░░ and likely to become ░░░░░░░░ most powerful politician on ░░░░░░░░ was intervening in Ukraine ░░░░░░░░ the benefit of the ░░░░░░░░ that was paying his ░░░░░░░░ 50 000 a month ░░░░░░░░ absolutely no reason other ░░░░░░░░ to have influence with ░░░░░░░░ Biden which was Burisma ░░░░░░░░ energy company for which ░░░░░░░░ an industry in which ░░░░░░░░ Biden had zero experience ░░░░░░░░ competence BRAND Look I ░░░░░░░░ not a pro Republican ░░░░░░░░ I don t see ░░░░░░░░ that way I don ░░░░░░░░ see myself as conservative ░░░░░░░░ that I m in ░░░░░░░░ Trump or Giuliani or ░░░░░░░░ of media establishments that ░░░░░░░░ reporting on these revelations ░░░░░░░░ are not my cultural ░░░░░░░░ or political allies That ░░░░░░░░ certainly not how I ░░░░░░░░ myself However it seems ░░░░░░░░ me that there s ░░░░░░░░ reason is Hunter Biden ░░░░░░░░ on the board of ░░░░░░░░ energy company in the ░░░░░░░░ What reason is James ░░░░░░░░ sat on the board ░░░░░░░░ receiving payments from an ░░░░░░░░ company in China And ░░░░░░░░ a time where we ░░░░░░░░ talking about sleaze corruption ░░░░░░░░ misdemeanors and relationships between ░░░░░░░░ big business and politicians ░░░░░░░░ s just face it ░░░░░░░░ you re bloody stupid ░░░░░░░░ know that s going ░░░░░░░░ all the time So ░░░░░░░░ change that or then ░░░░░░░░ pretending that politicians are ░░░░░░░░ to anything other than ░░░░░░░░ advance of their own ░░░░░░░░ And if there s ░░░░░░░░ byproduct a few people ░░░░░░░░ helped along the way ░░░░░░░░ then that s great ░░░░░░░░ for me revelations that ░░░░░░░░ are financial connections between ░░░░░░░░ companies in the Ukraine ░░░░░░░░ companies in China and ░░░░░░░░ Biden family are troubling ░░░░░░░░ should be public knowledge ░░░░░░░░ it s even more ░░░░░░░░ that Twitter and Facebook ░░░░░░░░ the media at large ░░░░░░░░ kept it out of ░░░░░░░░ news because they didn ░░░░░░░░ want it to influence ░░░░░░░░ election What is democracy ░░░░░░░░ It suggests to me ░░░░░░░░ democracy is We want ░░░░░░░░ to vote for this ░░░░░░░░ we don t want ░░░░░░░░ to vote for that ░░░░░░░░ As I ve said ░░░░░░░░ Trump you know I ░░░░░░░░ t think Donald Trump ░░░░░░░░ the answer But I ░░░░░░░░ sad to realize that ░░░░░░░░ can no longer even ░░░░░░░░ to believe that Joe ░░░░░░░░ or the Democratic Party ░░░░░░░░ be the answer because ░░░░░░░░ at how they behave ░░░░░░░░ look at the relationships ░░░░░░░░ media social media and ░░░░░░░░ party They conspired to ░░░░░░░░ information away from you ░░░░░░░░ it was not convenient ░░░░░░░░ their agenda What does ░░░░░░░░ make you feel GREENWALD ░░░░░░░░ well as whether they ░░░░░░░░ pursuing deals in China ░░░░░░░░ which the negotiations were ░░░░░░░░ that 10 or 15 ░░░░░░░░ of the profit stream ░░░░░░░░ these deals they were ░░░░░░░░ as Joe Biden was ░░░░░░░░ ready to run for ░░░░░░░░ would actually go to ░░░░░░░░ Biden himself There were ░░░░░░░░ lot of documents that ░░░░░░░░ very real questions BRAND ░░░░░░░░ Greenwald whether you agree ░░░░░░░░ him politically or you ░░░░░░░░ t is a legit ░░░░░░░░ fide expert in this ░░░░░░░░ His whole career is ░░░░░░░░ upon receiving documentation that ░░░░░░░░ challenging revelations from whistleblowers ░░░░░░░░ would not stake his ░░░░░░░░ on something that is ░░░░░░░░ legit or real And ░░░░░░░░ he explains elsewhere in ░░░░░░░░ video when allegations of ░░░░░░░░ nature are false you ░░░░░░░░ it because the people ░░░░░░░░ and go That s ░░░░░░░░ my bloody laptop The ░░░░░░░░ is that this information ░░░░░░░░ stymied stifled controlled because ░░░░░░░░ didn t suit the ░░░░░░░░ agenda of these three ░░░░░░░░ of power That almost ░░░░░░░░ me more than the ░░░░░░░░ of the revelations themselves ░░░░░░░░ don t have particularly ░░░░░░░░ expectations of politicians let ░░░░░░░░ blow your mind but ░░░░░░░░ idea that information is ░░░░░░░░ controlled that s that ░░░░░░░░ not democracy that s ░░░░░░░░ freedom That s manipulation ░░░░░░░░ elections If it were ░░░░░░░░ other side doing that ░░░░░░░░ would be the companies ░░░░░░░░ are here implicated would ░░░░░░░░ ecstatically propagating and proliferating ░░░░░░░░ data GREENWALD What I ░░░░░░░░ finding was two things ░░░░░░░░ this One is there ░░░░░░░░ no interest in finding ░░░░░░░░ what those documents were ░░░░░░░░ it was the moral ░░░░░░░░ of everybody including journalists ░░░░░░░░ refrain from anything that ░░░░░░░░ hurt Biden because that ░░░░░░░░ elect Trump including doing ░░░░░░░░ on this archive So ░░░░░░░░ idea became nobody can ░░░░░░░░ any reporting on this ░░░░░░░░ they started maligning the ░░░░░░░░ BRAND It s troubling ░░░░░░░░ these decisions are made ░░░░░░░░ your behalf without your ░░░░░░░░ I suppose this is ░░░░░░░░ politics and power functions ░░░░░░░░ when you get an ░░░░░░░░ like this one or ░░░░░░░░ specific example and how ░░░░░░░░ implicates the goodies let ░░░░░░░░ say in the cultural ░░░░░░░░ and shows that when ░░░░░░░░ comes to it the ░░░░░░░░ from people across the ░░░░░░░░ spectrum is the same ░░░░░░░░ the pursuit of their ░░░░░░░░ the control of information ░░░░░░░░ m more or less ░░░░░░░░ or pan political or ░░░░░░░░ political I ve been ░░░░░░░░ disappointed by people in ░░░░░░░░ political arena to sort ░░░░░░░░ think Oh this person ░░░░░░░░ help What I feel ░░░░░░░░ is that there are ░░░░░░░░ and shouldn t it ░░░░░░░░ that anyway principles and ░░░░░░░░ that transcend wherever they ░░░░░░░░ from some transcendent principles ░░░░░░░░ honesty compassion kindness these ░░░░░░░░ of things redemption forgiveness ░░░░░░░░ principles I suppose And ░░░░░░░░ m wondering when figures ░░░░░░░░ appear in the cultural ░░░░░░░░ political conversation that are ░░░░░░░░ true empowerment of ordinary ░░░░░░░░ honesty transparency and admitting ░░░░░░░░ there s fallibility and ░░░░░░░░ in all of us ░░░░░░░░ we need systems that ░░░░░░░░ for individual fallibility but ░░░░░░░░ always as the priority ░░░░░░░░ the pursuit of power ░░░░░░░░ the control of resources ░░░░░░░░ the empowerment and freedom ░░░░░░░░ individuals actually the stuff ░░░░░░░░ s written down constitutionally ░░░░░░░░ things that are explicitly ░░░░░░░░ to be the goals ░░░░░░░░ names of a society ░░░░░░░░ That s all Just ░░░░░░░░ things that people say ░░░░░░░░ for goals and names ░░░░░░░░ then behave entirely you ░░░░░░░░ in an entirely distinct ░░░░░░░░ way in a secret ░░░░░░░░ clandestine manner That for ░░░░░░░░ the revelation that that ░░░░░░░░ wasn t just about ░░░░░░░░ about Hunter Biden s ░░░░░░░░ life drug addiction et ░░░░░░░░ and that stuff with ░░░░░░░░ adults but also was ░░░░░░░░ financial relationships with companies ░░░░░░░░ oh man that s ░░░░░░░░ like you can t ░░░░░░░░ out there and sort ░░░░░░░░ be all sort of ░░░░░░░░ and friendly and this ░░░░░░░░ a real change and ░░░░░░░░ new style for America ░░░░░░░░ I feel like people ░░░░░░░░ believe in that that ░░░░░░░░ kind of like recalcitrance ░░░░░░░░ s a willful a ░░░░░░░░ sort of commitment a ░░░░░░░░ of a religious commitment ░░░░░░░░ dogma to the dogma ░░░░░░░░ no these guys are ░░░░░░░░ Well by what standards ░░░░░░░░ All of the indicia ░░░░░░░░ authenticity were there that ░░░░░░░░ look for as a ░░░░░░░░ that I rely and ░░░░░░░░ ve staked my entire ░░░░░░░░ on by publishing archives ░░░░░░░░ on that indicia of ░░░░░░░░ When I got the ░░░░░░░░ archive I had to ░░░░░░░░ sure it was authentic ░░░░░░░░ authenticated the one in ░░░░░░░░ using those same methods ░░░░░░░░ media outlets were saying ░░░░░░░░ only were they saying ░░░░░░░░ won t report on ░░░░░░░░ but much worse even ░░░░░░░░ ones that like The ░░░░░░░░ that I f king ░░░░░░░░ founded to be adversarial ░░░░░░░░ the CIA and the ░░░░░░░░ community adopted the view ░░░░░░░░ the CIA officials that ░░░░░░░░ came from Russia and ░░░░░░░░ was disinformation even though ░░░░░░░░ was I mean the ░░░░░░░░ point was you re ░░░░░░░░ to be skeptical of ░░░░░░░░ from the CIA because ░░░░░░░░ re trained liars BRAND ░░░░░░░░ CIA say This ain ░░░░░░░░ legit Oh yeah the ░░░░░░░░ those lovely guys at ░░░░░░░░ CIA Former members include ░░░░░░░░ old Mary Poppins she ░░░░░░░░ CIA weren t she ░░░░░░░░ Jesus and Gandhi all ░░░░░░░░ CIA operatives Like this ░░░░░░░░ been one of the ░░░░░░░░ that s been baffling ░░░░░░░░ me to suddenly see ░░░░░░░░ all these sort of ░░░░░░░░ that I was brought ░░░░░░░░ to think you know ░░░░░░░░ t ever trust those ░░░░░░░░ are suddenly now the ░░░░░░░░ You can t trust ░░░░░░░░ CIA GREENWALD And they ░░░░░░░░ nothing but disseminate disinformation ░░░░░░░░ when they say something ░░░░░░░░ if they say it ░░░░░░░░ sunny outside you go ░░░░░░░░ and check And even ░░░░░░░░ you see the sun ░░░░░░░░ like still have doubts ░░░░░░░░ maybe it s a ░░░░░░░░ sun BRAND It s ░░░░░░░░ outside You f king ░░░░░░░░ it s raining Sorry ░░░░░░░░ Force of habit GREENWALD ░░░░░░░░ in this case they ░░░░░░░░ imbibed it mindlessly And ░░░░░░░░ they not only did ░░░░░░░░ not report it but ░░░░░░░░ prevented me from you ░░░░░░░░ I was wanting to ░░░░░░░░ what these documents showed ░░░░░░░░ got prevented by my ░░░░░░░░ media outlet the thing ░░░░░░░░ I founded at the ░░░░░░░░ of the Snowden story ░░░░░░░░ doing it But the ░░░░░░░░ thing and the most ░░░░░░░░ thing Russell was that ░░░░░░░░ this is the thing ░░░░░░░░ I think is the ░░░░░░░░ important thing from all ░░░░░░░░ this is that Twitter ░░░░░░░░ Facebook which are information ░░░░░░░░ they re not just ░░░░░░░░ companies like any other ░░░░░░░░ you know currently has ░░░░░░░░ billion of the world ░░░░░░░░ 8 billion people using ░░░░░░░░ to communicate it s ░░░░░░░░ 25 percent of the ░░░░░░░░ is on Facebook Much ░░░░░░░░ the ones who aren ░░░░░░░░ are because they don ░░░░░░░░ have internet access And ░░░░░░░░ is the place where ░░░░░░░░ who works in politics ░░░░░░░░ media spends all their ░░░░░░░░ So incredibly powerful companies ░░░░░░░░ banned any mention of ░░░░░░░░ story If you wanted ░░░░░░░░ link to the reporting ░░░░░░░░ the New York Post ░░░░░░░░ then ultimately Fox News ░░░░░░░░ other right wing outlets ░░░░░░░░ were doing the reporting ░░░░░░░░ link wouldn t work ░░░░░░░░ would put the link ░░░░░░░░ there it would say ░░░░░░░░ link is banned Not ░░░░░░░░ for publicly tweeting but ░░░░░░░░ if you wanted to ░░░░░░░░ a private conversation using ░░░░░░░░ chat function on Twitter ░░░░░░░░ couldn t link to ░░░░░░░░ it was just censored ░░░░░░░░ was banned like you ░░░░░░░░ in China BRAND One ░░░░░░░░ the things I talked ░░░░░░░░ Glenn Greenwald about was ░░░░░░░░ own personal discomfort as ░░░░░░░░ person that s always ░░░░░░░░ myself as I say ░░░░░░░░ pan trans beyond political ░░░░░░░░ was like Hold on ░░░░░░░░ minute I don t ░░░░░░░░ to find myself like ░░░░░░░░ with the New York ░░░░░░░░ owned by Murdoch or ░░░░░░░░ News still owned by ░░░░░░░░ This is doesn t ░░░░░░░░ sense to me But ░░░░░░░░ you ve got to ░░░░░░░░ recourse to honesty transparency ░░░░░░░░ And the idea that ░░░░░░░░ Greenwald characterizes it information ░░░░░░░░ such as those described ░░░░░░░░ prohibit control censor information ░░░░░░░░ you that our kind ░░░░░░░░ depiction as places like ░░░░░░░░ Russia or the Soviet ░░░░░░░░ as these draconian malevolent ░░░░░░░░ where you re not ░░░░░░░░ it may and you ░░░░░░░░ was true but it ░░░░░░░░ also true here The ░░░░░░░░ thing is happening but ░░░░░░░░ get to have a ░░░░░░░░ at the end of ░░░░░░░░ day Yeah sure we ░░░░░░░░ repress you Yeah we ░░░░░░░░ the information But look ░░░░░░░░ this lovely old president ░░░░░░░░ enjoy your milkshake You ░░░░░░░░ GREENWALD And then Facebook ░░░░░░░░ that they were algorithmically ░░░░░░░░ the spread of the ░░░░░░░░ so you could post ░░░░░░░░ but nobody would see ░░░░░░░░ They had like tinkered ░░░░░░░░ the algorithm This is ░░░░░░░░ three weeks before the ░░░░░░░░ Silicon Valley monopolies that ░░░░░░░░ supporting one of the ░░░░░░░░ were censoring reporting authentic ░░░░░░░░ about the candidate that ░░░░░░░░ were supporting based on ░░░░░░░░ from the CIA BRAND ░░░░░░░░ a significant point that ░░░░░░░░ Democrat Party received donations ░░░░░░░░ Silicon Valley obviously them ░░░░░░░░ information that would negatively ░░░░░░░░ the election had a ░░░░░░░░ of personal impact on ░░░░░░░░ and their incentives So ░░░░░░░░ s not just like ░░░░░░░░ ideological control it s ░░░░░░░░ practical We re invested ░░░░░░░░ the Democrat Party being ░░░░░░░░ party of government We ░░░░░░░░ t want that going ░░░░░░░░ GREENWALD That for me ░░░░░░░░ a huge mask off ░░░░░░░░ So when you ask ░░░░░░░░ about the Hunter Biden ░░░░░░░░ yes I think the ░░░░░░░░ are important Yes I ░░░░░░░░ the journalists should have ░░░░░░░░ Yes I think it ░░░░░░░░ a huge professional disgrace ░░░░░░░░ they didn t I ░░░░░░░░ quit The Intercept in ░░░░░░░░ over their efforts to ░░░░░░░░ me at my own ░░░░░░░░ but the much more ░░░░░░░░ and enduring event as ░░░░░░░░ of that was the ░░░░░░░░ of Silicon Valley power ░░░░░░░░ unison to simply prevent ░░░░░░░░ many millions of Americans ░░░░░░░░ hearing about documents that ░░░░░░░░ absolutely should have known ░░░░░░░░ before going into the ░░░░░░░░ booth BRAND What Greenwald ░░░░░░░░ revelations suggest to me ░░░░░░░░ that all of us ░░░░░░░░ to become sort of ░░░░░░░░ Internet savvy information savvy ░░░░░░░░ we have to curate ░░░░░░░░ own information we all ░░░░░░░░ to become in Seth ░░░░░░░░ s phrase Meta journalists ░░░░░░░░ have to look at ░░░░░░░░ lot of information and ░░░░░░░░ our own conclusions But ░░░░░░░░ can t say I ░░░░░░░░ take my information from ░░░░░░░░ or I only take ░░░░░░░░ information from here We ░░░░░░░░ going to have to ░░░░░░░░ at diverse resources These ░░░░░░░░ of tribal alliances might ░░░░░░░░ to be overcome that ░░░░░░░░ might start to have ░░░░░░░░ think Well who am ░░░░░░░░ really What kind of ░░░░░░░░ do I want You ░░░░░░░░ t have some symbolic ░░░░░░░░ who represents your values ░░░░░░░░ feel what we need ░░░░░░░░ a kind of recourse ░░░░░░░░ a set of values ░░░░░░░░ principles that can be ░░░░░░░░ practiced That means for ░░░░░░░░ as ever decentralization communities ░░░░░░░░ we can have direct ░░░░░░░░ over our own lives ░░░░░░░░ own resources individual freedom ░░░░░░░░ freedom and where possible ░░░░░░░░ and control of organizations ░░░░░░░░ have power over us ░░░░░░░░ that s the state ░░░░░░░░ big corporations Now I ░░░░░░░░ t know where that ░░░░░░░░ me anymore on a ░░░░░░░░ scale but what I ░░░░░░░░ is my freedom my ░░░░░░░░ s freedom your freedom ░░░░░░░░ family s freedom I ░░░░░░░░ t want my family ░░░░░░░░ have advantages that your ░░░░░░░░ don t have because ░░░░░░░░ my the color of ░░░░░░░░ skin or where I ░░░░░░░░ from or what my ░░░░░░░░ is and I don ░░░░░░░░ want the reverse either ░░░░░░░░ want us to have ░░░░░░░░ equal fair society or ░░░░░░░░ of societies because it ░░░░░░░░ unrealistic that we can ░░░░░░░░ one thing that we ░░░░░░░░ call society because there ░░░░░░░░ too many competing value ░░░░░░░░ involved It seems there ░░░░░░░░ universal principles that I ░░░░░░░░ referring to Sesame Street ░░░░░░░░ kindness consideration honesty these ░░░░░░░░ of things hopefully surely ░░░░░░░░ can agree on But ░░░░░░░░ re not going to ░░░░░░░░ this bizarre abstract problem ░░░░░░░░ trying to conceive of ░░░░░░░░ and thousands and millions ░░░░░░░░ people all coming together ░░░░░░░░ one flag or banner ░░░░░░░░ it clearly doesn t ░░░░░░░░ anymore Whether it s ░░░░░░░░ logos of the U ░░░░░░░░ the United States of ░░░░░░░░ or the logos of ░░░░░░░░ Apple Facebook we need ░░░░░░░░ believe to have smaller ░░░░░░░░ that are autonomous and ░░░░░░░░ control of their own ░░░░░░░░ and outcomes This is ░░░░░░░░ real power and sharing ░░░░░░░░ power lies Well if ░░░░░░░░ liked that video me ░░░░░░░░ on this then please ░░░░░░░░ and subscribe and comment ░░░░░░░░ ll read the comment ░░░░░░░░ you want to see ░░░░░░░░ conversation with Glenn Greenwald ░░░░░░░░ to my Luminary podcast ░░░░░░░░ there is just like ░░░░░░░░ normal conversation mostly with ░░░░░░░░ Greenwald speaking because he ░░░░░░░░ such a brilliant person ░░░░░░░░ didn t want to ░░░░░░░░ him even when I ░░░░░░░░ him here on video ░░░░░░░░ was like You crack ░░░░░░░░ mate But if you ░░░░░░░░ to hear all of ░░░░░░░░ go over now and ░░░░░░░░ to Luminary And please ░░░░░░░░ to my mailing list ░░░░░░░░ we can communicate directly ░░░░░░░░ m probably going to ░░░░░░░░ doing live stuff at ░░░░░░░░ end of the year ░░░░░░░░ and legislative authoritarians permitting ░░░░░░░░ ll be doing some ░░░░░░░░ stuff so if you ░░░░░░░░ interested in that get ░░░░░░░░ my mailing list at ░░░░░░░░ com so we can ░░░░░░░░ Thank you.”