OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Elon Musk has not spared any person or organization from his trolling attacks since he became the new owner of Twitter.
The most recent example of his take no prisoners attitude was The Associated Press after it published a story about how “dangerous” it is for Musk to grant amnesty to banned account, then had the audacity to share the story his platform.
“New Twitter owner Elon Musk said he is granting ‘amnesty’ for suspended accounts, which online safety experts predict will spur a rise in harassment, hate speech and misinformation,” it said on Twitter.
New Twitter owner Elon Musk said he is granting "amnesty” for suspended accounts, which online safety experts predict will spur a rise in harassment, hate speech and misinformation. https://t.co/aZ0NyUP7Fp
— The Associated Press (@AP) November 24, 2022
The Associated Press reported.
On Oct. 28, the day after he took control, Musk tweeted that no suspended accounts would be reinstated until Twitter formed a “content moderation council” with diverse viewpoints that would consider the cases.
On Tuesday, he said he was reneging on that promise because he’d agreed to at the insistence of “a large coalition of political-social activists groups” who later ”broke the deal” by urging that advertisers at least temporarily stop giving Twitter their business.
A day earlier, Twitter reinstated the personal account of far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, which was banned in January for violating the platform’s COVID misinformation policies.
Musk, meanwhile, has been getting increasingly chummy on Twitter with right-wing figures. Before this month’s U.S. midterm elections he urged “independent-minded” people to vote Republican.
“AP is such an expert in misinformation. Twitter couldn’t hope to compete!” the CEO said.
“But you have piqued my curiosity … who are these ‘online experts’ you speak of?” he said.
But you have piqued my curiosity … who are these “online experts” you speak of?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 25, 2022
Musk continues to make good on his previous pledge to allow previously banned accounts and users back on the platform. That now includes Juanita Broaddrick, who has long accused former President Bill Clinton of rape while she was working as a nursing home administrator and he was serving as Arkansas attorney general in the late 1970s.
Fox News reports:
The company said her account has been locked for “violating the policy on spreading misleading and potentially harmful information related to COVID-19.” The statement included the original tweet that sparked the ban, in which Broaddrick challenged the effectiveness of the coronavirus vaccines, suggested that pharmaceutical companies enormously profited because of them, and conspicuously claimed the vaccines “alter DNA.”
“When will this vaccine crap be over? Big Pharma has profited enough for the next hundred years. Stop pushing vaccines that don’t work and alter DNA,” Broaddrick said in the tweet, which was initially posted on April 9, according to the screenshot noted by the outlet.
The statement also noted that Broaddrick could likely have her account restored if she simply deleted the tweet.
“We understand that during times of crisis and instability, it is difficult to know what to do to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. Under this policy, we require the removal of content that may pose a risk to people’s health, including content that goes directly against guidance from authoritative sources of global and local public health information,” Twitter noted at the time.
After having her account restored, Broaddrick tweeted on Monday: “What a great Christmas gift……. the freedom of speech.”
What a great Christmas gift…… the freedom of speech.
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) November 21, 2022
She also went on to thank new Twitter boss Elon Musk and the popular user Catturd2 for her account being restored.
I am back. Thank you so much @elonmusk and thanks my friend @catturd2
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) November 21, 2022
My face is frozen in the biggest damn smile.
Never thought it would happen. Thank God for @elonmusk
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) November 21, 2022
Broaddrick is the author of “You’d Better Put Some Ice On That: How I Survived Being Raped By Bill Clinton.” She has claimed that her lip was injured during the alleged attack and that Clinton at the time told her to “put some ice” on the injury.
Book orders were amazing during the holidays and we ran out. Apologies for those who’s orders were delayed. We’re restocked and ready to ship. Thanks for your support. I personally sign all books. To order go to: https://t.co/jCaTgDasAZ pic.twitter.com/PgN6J3shDT
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) January 23, 2022
Wow …. Back to original follower count plus 35k.
Thanks everybody. Love you.
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) November 22, 2022
The Western Journal notes some history between Clinton and Broaddrick:
Broaddrick first came to prominence in 1999, after Clinton’s impeachment trial, in which the reluctant former nursing home administrator gave a sworn statement accusing Clinton of rape in 1978. “It was a horrible, horrible experience and I just wanted it to go away,” she said in an interview at the time, according to The Washington Post. She’s gotten less reluctant — and more outspoken — as time has gone on.
