The Wikimedia Foundation, which oversees Wikipedia, is under scrutiny after failing to comply with a House Oversight Committee document request tied to allegations of anti-Israel bias and politically coordinated editing. The committee, chaired by Rep. Nancy Mace (R‑SC), requested documents by September 10, but the Foundation has yet to fully respond.
According to Jewish News Syndicate, committee staff confirmed the Foundation remains in contact but has not provided the necessary records. The request, submitted August 27, seeks information on editing by state actors or academic institutions, especially concerning Israel, and details about Wikipedia’s internal editing policies.
Wikipedia’s editorial community reacted with hostility when the investigation began. One editor made personal attacks against Rep. Mace that were later scrubbed from public records. Similar smear campaigns targeted Acting U.S. Attorney Ed Martin and Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger, both of whom raised concerns over the site’s political slant. Sanger, who has openly criticized Wikipedia’s leftward drift, had a reform proposal censored by editors, who claimed it constituted “harassment.”
Sanger’s nine-point reform plan, shared during a viral interview on Tucker Carlson’s Uncensored, accused Wikipedia of purging conservative media, including Breitbart News. That interview prompted Sen. Ted Cruz (R‑TX) to send a formal inquiry to the Foundation demanding transparency over Wikipedia’s blacklist of conservative sources. Cruz’s office requested a response by October 17.
Further tensions have emerged during internal elections for Wikipedia’s Board of Trustees. Two candidates were disqualified without explanation—one for alleged transparency advocacy, the other for anti-Israel posts—sparking accusations of political interference.
Wikipedia’s editorial bias recently intensified with a decision to accuse Israel of genocide in Gaza, promoting the claim on its front page. Editors also debated blacklisting CBS News after the outlet named pro-Israel journalist Bari Weiss as its new head.
