Overview
Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) is a US Senator, former Connecticut Attorney General, and the lead Democratic co-sponsor of the KOSA across multiple Congresses, alongside Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). Also a primary co-sponsor of the EARN IT Act. Self-described LGBTQ+ ally; chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law that hosted Sam Altman’s 2023 OpenAI testimony. Identified by Fight for the Future as the central Democratic enabler of the Bad Internet Bills Campaign target legislation.
Key Facts
- Lead D co-sponsor of KOSA across multiple Congresses; most recent (119th Congress) version co-sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer
- Lead D co-sponsor of EARN IT Act with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
- Chair, Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law — hosted Sam Altman’s first congressional testimony on AI (May 2023)
- Publicly smeared Fight for the Future — described the queer-/trans-led digital rights org as “a pawn of Big Tech” for opposing KOSA (Why Are Some Democrats Backing MAGA’s Anti-LGBTQ+ Censorship?)
- Falsely claimed KOSA wouldn’t harm LGBTQ+ communities — per Why Are Some Democrats Backing MAGA’s Anti-LGBTQ+ Censorship?, CT Mirror June 2025 reporting
- Resumed publicly pushing KOSA in September 2025 (per WSHU CT reporting)
- Self-styled LGBTQ+ ally — appeared at Pride events while pushing KOSA; this contradiction is a recurring theme in the cluster’s opposition framing
Newsletter Relevance
Blumenthal is the central Democratic-complicity character in the contemporary internet-bills story. The “pawn of Big Tech” smear of FtF is rich newsletter material — a sitting Senator publicly attacking the queer leader of the opposition coalition while continuing to push a bill the Heritage Foundation openly says will be used to censor LGBTQ+ content. The contradiction is on the surface and dateable.
Connections
- Marsha Blackburn — KOSA co-sponsor (R)
- Lindsey Graham — EARN IT co-sponsor (R)
- Chuck Schumer — current KOSA co-sponsor (Senate Minority Leader)
- Sam Altman — testified before Blumenthal’s subcommittee on AI
- Fight for the Future — public target of Blumenthal smear
- Evan Greer — public target of Blumenthal smear (as FtF director)
Source Appearances
- Bad Internet Bills — Fight for the Future Campaign Hub — KOSA co-sponsor
- LGBTQ Youth Are Under Attack — Why Are Democrats Pushing a Bill That Hurts Them More — KOSA author context
- Congress is flooded with bills for childproofing the internet — KOSA reintroduction; also EARN IT
- President Biden’s executive action on children and the internet — KOSA author
- This Bill Purports to Protect Kids From Big Tech — Bonesteel — Pride contradiction
- Why Are Some Democrats Backing MAGA’s Anti-LGBTQ+ Censorship? — “pawn of Big Tech” smear; September 2025 reintroduction push
- Officials say social media is hurting teens — Scientists say it’s complicated — Sam Altman hearing context
Open Questions
- Blumenthal’s response to GLAAD’s June 2025 position shift — has he engaged with the Trump-FTC weaponization argument that prompted GLAAD to renew opposition?
- Internal Senate Democratic dynamics — how do Blumenthal and Schumer’s KOSA positions interact with the small group of dissenting Democrats (Wyden, Pallone, Frost)?
- His relationship with the broader Senate AI agenda — KOSA + EARN IT + the Altman/AI hearing line suggests a coherent “tech regulation under bipartisan child-safety framing” portfolio worth its own piece.