The CEOs of Steam, Discord, Reddit, and Twitch are invited to testify in front of the US House Oversight Committee following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, according to a press release from Capitol Hill. The request came from House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY), who asked leaders, including Steam CEO Gabe Newell, to appear on Capitol Hill for a hearing scheduled for October.
On September 10, during a public appearance at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, right-wing political activist and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was shot in the neck by a bullet and collapsed. Kirk was rushed to Timpanogos Regional Hospital for emergency surgery, but then succumbed to his wounds. The following night, alleged gunman Tyler Robinson turned himself in to the authorities following a day-long manhunt. According to Utah Governor Spencer Cox, Robinson allegedly engraved references to Helldivers 2 on used and unused bullet casings found by authorities.
US House Oversight Committee Requests CEO Appearances At October 8 Hearing
- Twitch CEO Dan Clancy
- Valve/Steam CEO Gabe Newell
- Discord CEO Humam Sakhnini
- Reddit CEO Steve Huffman
The aftermath has been controversial and consequential, as gaming industry members were reportedly fired for commenting on Kirk's assassination on social media. On September 17, the US House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform requested that CEOs Gabe Newell (Valve/Steam), Humam Sakhnini (Discord), Dan Clancy (Twitch), and Steve Huffman (Reddit) testify at a full committee hearing scheduled for Wednesday, October 8, at 10:00 AM Eastern. The hearing comes as part of the US government's continuing investigations into Kirk's death.
In the requests to each CEO, Rep. Comer said, "In the wake of this tragedy, and amid other acts of politically motivated violence, Congress has a duty to oversee the online platforms that radicals have used to advance political violence. To prevent future radicalization and violence, the CEOs of Discord, Steam, Twitch, and Reddit must appear before the Oversight Committee and explain what actions they will take to ensure their platforms are not exploited for nefarious purposes."
All four of the addressed company leaders have until Monday, October 6, to accept or decline the House Oversight Committee's request to appear and testify before all 47 members on Capitol Hill. Pending a response, the hearing would not be the first time that Newell has been asked to appear before government officials. In late 2023, a US District Court rejected Newell's request for a remote deposition in an antitrust case between Steam and developer Wolfire Games.
As of this writing, it is unclear how each of the addressed CEOs will respond to the US House's request. It is also worth noting that the committee's request is currently not a subpoena, which would legally demand each CEO appear instead of giving them a choice. As the debate on gun violence continues, it remains to be seen how the House Committee hearing will play out.
