The letter cites news reports that Parler users were making violent threats in the days leading up to January 6. It also raises questions about “Parler’s financing and its ties to Russia,” noting that “posters on Parler have reportedly been traced back to Russian disinformation campaigns,” and that CEO John Matze may have personal ties to Russia.
The New York Democrat told the Washington Post that the Oversight Committee may also launch “a formal committee investigation into sites that may encourage violence, including Parler.” It’s not the first time a member of Congress has raised questions about Parler’s role in the deadly violence in Washington D.C. Virginia Senator Mark Warner previously sent a letter to Parler, along with several other tech companies, asking them to preserve evidence tied to the attack.
But a formal investigation from Congress, and a potential FBI inquiry, would be even more significant. Parler is already facing a shaky future after Amazon Web Services cut off its servers and Apple and Google kicked the app out of their app stores. Parler has sued Amazon over its actions. On Monday, a version of Parler’s website came back online, though it hasn’t restored its former functionality. Matze has said he intends to get Parler up and running by the end of January.
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