Earlier, I wrote about the Great Silencing that has begun. Now, as noted then, there have always been efforts but this is something new. This is a coordinated and deliberate effort to target anything other than progressive thought (and even wrongthought) and destroy the people behind it as well as to either deplatform or delegitimize those outlets.
Now, Phase II has begun with an effort to demonetize those platforms. Just as Professor Jacobson and Legal Insurrection were the first major effort for Phase I, Phase II is off (to a rocky start thank goodness) with an effort by NBC no less.
The basic story is here, at Legal Insurrection, but it is most telling that NBC fired the first shot by working with a foreign organization to target two competitors on the conservative/libertarian side. As I noted earlier, none of the three entities involved have covered themselves in glory. In fact, I hope an investigation is undertaken, as I feel it is more than warranted under Section 230, RICO, and anti-trust acts. What NBC has done is against every concept of a free and open press, but make no mistake: the progressive left does not want a free an open press anymore than they want free speech. They want an end to both, and to any expression of thought outside the orthodoxy of the moment.
Right now, as much as I support Professor Jacobson, I have no faith that Cornell will back him. In fact, I expect them to cave to the mob, sooner rather than later though I would be delighted to be wrong. Meantime, that they have held this long is throwing a spanner into the works for the next targets, which I believe have already been chosen. The unexpected pushback against NBC and what it did have likewise tossed another spanner into the works.
No matter what the outcome of these two cases, however, expect to see a lot more of this happen as all stops will be pulled out to push the chosen narrative. This will happen more, and more viciously, the closer we get to the election.
Nor is the Great Silencing the only campaign planned. Keep your eyes open and be prepared, for the progressives are going all in on the election.