House Republicans expressed outrage after Twitter permanently suspended President Donald Trump’s Twitter account, and Google and Apple moved to remove the conservative social media app Parler from their stores.
“After close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence,” Twitter said in a statement.
“What the hell is happening?” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) tweeted. “Twitter and Facebook are shutting down accounts. Apple and Google are shutting down Parler as people try to migrate there. Are we living out some kind of dystopian novel this week?”
What the hell is happening?
Twitter and Facebook are shutting down accounts.
Apple and Google are shutting down Parler as people try to migrate there.
Are we living out some kind of dystopian novel this week?
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) January 9, 2021
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) — one of the president’s top supporters and fighters against Big Tech — tweeted: “Big tech tyranny is playing out before our very eyes.”
Big tech tyranny is playing out before our very eyes.
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) January 9, 2021
Republican Study Committee Chairman Jim Banks (R-IN) tweeted, “#Section230 reform is do or die. Big Tech is trying to strangle the Right and we must fight back!”
#Section230 reform is do or die.
Big Tech is trying to strangle the Right and we must fight back!
— Jim Banks (@RepJimBanks) January 9, 2021
Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX) said he was drafting a bill that amends the Civil Rights Act to include political affiliation as an impermissible basis of discrimination. “Enough is enough.”
Public forums like Twitter and Facebook should NOT be allowed to discriminate against individuals based on political beliefs.
I’m drafting a Bill that amends the Civil Rights Act to include political affiliation as an impermissible basis of discrimination!
Enough is enough!
— Lance Gooden (@Lancegooden) January 9, 2021
Former GOP Rep. Doug Collins (GA) tweeted:
Don’t be fooled. Big Tech isn’t shutting down accounts due to “risk”. They’re trying to control what you READ. What you THINK. What you BELIEVE. They’re after one thing: control. Because control means power. Don’t let them win.
Don’t be fooled.
Big Tech isn’t shutting down accounts due to “risk”.
They’re trying to control what you READ.
What you THINK.
What you BELIEVE.
They’re after one thing: control.
Because control means power.
Don’t let them win.
— Doug Collins (@RepDougCollins) January 9, 2021
Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) tweeted: “This is about control. Don’t think for one second that anyone is immune.”
All American's right, left, and center need to oppose Big Tech censorship. This is not about safety. This is about control. Don't think for one second that anyone is immune. https://t.co/1tUKNfBtlM
— Congressman Kelly Armstrong (@RepArmstrongND) January 9, 2021
Twitter also suspended accounts affiliated with Trump or the Trump campaign, as well as some of his top supporters, such as retired Gen. Michael Flynn.
A number of conservative figures on Twitter noted that they lost thousands of Twitter followers over the past few days, as accounts were suspended, deleted, or otherwise restricted.
Meanwhile, Democrats and Democrat lawmakers celebrated the censorship of Trump on Twitter.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gloated, tweeted a check mark and quote of her own tweet to Trump from June 2016 that said, “Delete your account.”
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) January 9, 2021
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