On two separate occasions last week, Rep. Ted Lieu, D- Calif., said he would regulate speech but for the First Amendment.

In an interview on CNN, Lieu told anchor Brianna Keilar he would “love to be able to regulate the content of speech.”

The troubling remark coming after Keilar praised the Democratic lawmaker for a “clever” ploy while questioning Google CEO Sundar Pichai, who was testifying before the House Judiciary Committee — Lieu ‘Googled’ two Republican lawmakers to show both positive and negative results to counter GOP claims of bias from tech giants.

(Tech giants “vulnerable to outside influences,” according to Keilar.)

“I would love if I could have more than five minutes to question witnesses,” Lieu said. “Unfortunately, I don’t get that opportunity.”

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“However, I would love to be able to regulate the content of speech,” he added. “The First Amendment prevents me from doing so — and that’s simply a function of the First Amendment — but I think over the long run, it’s better that government does not regulate the content of speech.”

This wasn’t the first time last week Lieu talked about the First Amendment getting in the way of regulating speech, as seen in a tweet below where the Democrat said he would “like to regulate Fox News.”

“I agree there are serious issues, but the speech issues are protected by the First Amendment,” he said in a discussion on corporate free speech rights. “Would I like to regulate Fox News? Yes, but I can’t because the First Amendment stops me. And that’s ultimately a good thing in the long run.”

I agree there are serious issues, but the speech issues are protected by the First Amendment. Would I like to regulate Fox News? Yes, but I can't because the First Amendment stops me. And that's ultimately a good thing in the long run. — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) December 11, 2018

This coming from the camp that screams from the rooftops that the freedom of the press is challenged by President Trump’s criticism of fake news.

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Somewhere in his head, Lieu has convinced himself that it’s acceptable to talk about restricting speech as long as he couches the remark by saying the First Amendment is a good thing.

On the other hand, somewhere along the path to tyranny, perhaps we should simply take the left at their word.