Facebook and Twitter Blacklist ‘RINO Hunting’ Ad from Eric Greitens

Eric Greitens, the former governor of Missouri who is running to replace Roy Blunt to represent the state in the U.S. Senate, has been censored by Twitter and Facebook for using a metaphor about “hunting RINOS” — Republicans In Name Only.

The ad features Greitens, a former Navy Seal, storming a house looking for “RINOs,” with Greitens narrating in the style of a nature documentary.

“Today, we’re going RINO hunting,” says Greitens in the ad. “The RINO feeds on corruption, and is marked by the stripes of cowardice.”

“Join the MAGA crew, get a RINO hunting permit. There’s no bagging limit, no tagging limit, and it doesn’t expire til’ we save our country”

Despite the obviously metaphorical, tongue-in-cheek nature of the ad, Facebook has blacklisted it under its “policies prohibiting violence and incitement.”

Twitter also censored Greitens, cutting off sharing and engagement on the tweet, meaning no one can retweet or reply to it. The tweet itself can only be accessed via the link, or by navigating directly to Greitens’ feed, where it bears the following warning:

This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about abusive behavior. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the public’s interest for the Tweet to remain accessible.

“If anyone doesn’t get the metaphor, they are either lying or dumb,” said Greitens campaign manager Dylan Johnson.

While they crack down on joke metaphors from Republican senate candidates, social media platforms have been reluctant to enforce their rules against left-wing users who openly threaten or endorse violence.

For example, as violent looting and rioting spread throughout the United States in the wake of George Floyd’s death, Twitter did nothing to crack down, even when people were using the platform to broadcast looting targets.

Breitbart News has reached out to Facebook and Twitter for comment.

Allum Bokhari is the senior technology correspondent at Breitbart News. He is the author of #DELETED: Big Tech’s Battle to Erase the Trump Movement and Steal The Election. Follow him on Twitter @LibertarianBlue.