Subpoenaed Alphabet documents improperly redacted, may not be complete, Jordan says

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) on Monday sent a letter to Alphabet, the parent company of Google and YouTube, urging full compliance with a subpoena requiring the production of unredacted documents pertaining to the company’s communications with the executive branch.

In the letter, Jordan said the company released insufficient information, producing only 4,049 pages of material with key details redacted “despite explicit instructions” not to do so. 

“Alphabet has frustrated the Committee’s review of the responsive material by unilaterally redacting key information necessary to understand the context and content of the material,” Jordan said in the letter.

“These redactions do not appear to be based on any applicable privilege — because Alphabet has asserted none — and the Committee requires this material to be produced without redactions,” he added.

Jordan said he expects Alphabet to submit all requested documents without redactions by May 22, including some that he believes are in the company’s possession but haven’t been released. 

Alphabet is one of several tech companies — including Amazon, Apple and Meta — the committee subpoenaed in February for “reported collusion with the federal government … to suppress free speech.”

In response to the subpoena, a Microsoft spokesperson said at the time, “We have started producing documents, are engaged with the Committee, and committed to working in good faith.”

Republican members of the committee have accused the tech companies of suppressing free speech by coordinating with the federal government to take down content. 

The Hill has reached out to Alphabet’s counsel, Daniel Donovan, for comment.