“A Day of Reckoning”: Sen. Heidi Heikamp Puts Pressure on Backpage.com

A website accused of enabling human trafficking is held in contempt of congress.

A move applauded by North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp.

Backpage.com has long been accused of being a safe haven for sex traffickers, bringing victims into communities across the country.

Now, Congress is putting pressure on the site to clean up its act.
 
Heitkamp says the website has refused to comply with subpoenas as part of a Senate investigation into online sex trafficking.

She’s blasted the site’s CEO, Carl Ferror, for refusing to share what safeguards Backpage uses to prevent trafficking.

In fact, she says the site enables trafficking.

Launching contempt proceedings, Heitkamp adds, should help Congress force Ferror to provide some answers.
 
“The day of reckoning has come. We’re gonna issue the subpoena. We’re gonna hold him in contempt, and we’re gonna make sure that he’s held accountable for, number one, not appearing, but also for giving us the information that we need to protect the children of our country,” said Sen. Heitkamp.

Heitkamp says websites like Backpage are one of the most effective ways people traffic victims.

This is the first time in more than 20 years that the Senate has held anyone in contempt of Congress.