Elon Musk fires Twitter lawyer James Baker over Hunter Biden

Elon Musk has fired Twitter’s general counsel James Baker for his alleged role in the suppression of The Post’s Hunter Biden laptop expose.

“In light of concerns about Baker’s possible role in suppression of information important to the public dialogue, he was exited from Twitter today,” Musk wrote on Twitter Tuesday.

Musk added that he questioned Baker before his firing about the events surrounding the laptop suppression scandal and that his explanation was “unconvincing.”

Baker was previously general counsel for the FBI under former Director James Comey and was a key figure in the Bureau’s investigation into false claims of collusion between Russia and Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Baker’s exit from the social media giant comes after independent journalist Matt Taibbi revealed internal documents showing Baker and other top Twitter execs deliberating over what to do about The Post’s October 2020 story on Hunter Biden’s abandoned laptop and his alleged influence peddling schemes. 

The “Twitter Files,” as Taibbi called the exposé, included an exchange between Baker and Twitter’s former Vice President of Global Communications Brandon Borrman about the decision to censor the The Post’s reporting.

Borrman asks, referring to Twitter’s “hacked materials” policy, “Can we truthfully claim that this is part of the policy?”  To which Baker responds, “caution is warranted,” suggesting The Post’s story should be censored.

On Tuesday, Taibbi further reported that Baker was discovered “vetting” the “Twitter Files” before their release, and the journalist said that Baker’s secret involvement was delaying the release of another batch of internal documents. 

“The news that Baker was reviewing the ‘Twitter files’ surprised everyone involved, to say the least. New Twitter chief Elon Musk acted quickly to ‘exit’ Baker Tuesday,” Taibbi wrote on Twitter. 

Taibbi said that Musk was not aware of Baker’s involvement in reviewing the files.

On Tuesday, Taibbi further reported that Baker was discovered “vetting” the “Twitter Files” before their release, and the journalist said that Baker’s secret involvement was delaying the release of another batch of internal documents.

“On Friday, the first installment of the Twitter files was published here. We expected to publish more over the weekend. Many wondered why there was a delay,” Taibbi tweeted.

“We can now tell you part of the reason why. On Tuesday, Twitter Deputy General Counsel (and former FBI General Counsel) Jim Baker was fired. Among the reasons? Vetting the first batch of “Twitter Files” – without knowledge of new management.

“The process for producing the “Twitter Files” involved delivery to two journalists (Bari Weiss and me) via a lawyer close to new management. However, after the initial batch, things became complicated,” Taibbi went on.

He said that  Weiss discovered “that the person in charge of releasing the files was someone named Jim. When she called to ask ‘Jim’s’ last name, the answer came back: ‘Jim Baker.’”

Taibbi tweeted: “’My jaw hit the floor,’ says Weiss.” He said the first batch of files both reporters received was marked, “Spectra Baker Emails.”

Baker, wrote Taibbi, “is a controversial figure. He has been something of a Zelig of FBI controversies dating back to 2016, from the Steele Dossier to the Alfa-Server mess. He resigned in 2018 after an investigation into leaks to the press.

“The news that Baker was reviewing the ‘Twitter files’ surprised everyone involved, to say the least. New Twitter chief Elon Musk acted quickly to ‘exit’ Baker Tuesday,” Taibbi tweeted.

Taibbi said that Musk was not aware of Baker’s involvement in reviewing the files.

And he said he and Weiss were back reviewing the files.

“The next installment of ‘The Twitter Files’ will appear  @bariweiss. Stay tuned,” Taibbi concluded the string.