WASHINGTON –
Facebook on Monday removed a campaign video of US Senate candidate Eric Greitens, while Twitter blocked it from being shared, because the ad showed Republicans brandishing a shotgun and claiming he was fighting. hunt RINO, or Republicans only in the name of.
In the video, Greitens identifies himself as a Navy SEAL and says he’s hunting RINO. He whispered outside the house on a tree-lined street before a tactical unit broke open the door and hurled what appeared to be an exploding grenade inside.
Greitens, a former Missouri governor who resigned in disgrace in 2018, walked into an empty living room through the smoke and said, “Join the MAGA crew. Get a RINO hunting permit. . There’s no packing limit, no tagging limit, and it won’t expire until we save our country.”
The video comes at a new time focusing on gun violence and violence in politics following deadly mass shootings and threats against government officials. Two weeks ago, a man carrying a gun, knife and lanyard was arrested near the home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh after threatening to kill justice.
On Sunday, Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger, one of two Republicans serving on the congressional committee investigating the origins of the January 6 attack on the Capitol, said he recently received a letter at his home threatening to “execute me, as well as my wife and 5-month-old child.”
“We’ve never seen or had anything like it. It was sent locally,” Kinzinger, of Illinois, told ABC News, adding that he wasn’t concerned about his personal safety. I only worry about my family. Kinzinger, who is not running for re-election, is a moderate Republican, a member of the GOP often despised by hardline conservatives and Donald Trump supporters as RINO.
Facebook said in a statement Monday that the video was removed “for violating our policies on prohibiting violence and incitement.” Twitter said Greitens’ post violated its rules on abuse but said it would be abandoning it because it was in the “public interest” to be able to see the tweet. The company’s move prevented the post from being shared further.
Greitens’ campaign made no mention of the actions of the two social media companies.
“If anyone doesn’t understand the metaphor, they’re either lying or dumb,” campaign director Dylan Johnson said in a brief emailed statement.
The ad was released at a time of preparation for Republican Greitens’ preliminary campaign to succeed GOP Senator Roy Blunt’s resignation, as a crowded field of candidates jostled for approval. of former President Donald Trump. The main session is August 2nd.
It was the latest dramatic move made by Greitens as he sought to lackluster fundraising and moved through the graphic allegations of domestic abuse brought in March in affidavits sworn by his wife. his ex filed in March in the former couple’s child custody case.
It also follows a good book that has helped other Republican candidates solidify their positions: make a provocative statement or advertisement, wait for the backlash to develop, then quote the response. intense while trying to raise funds online from grassroots donors. In the case of Greitens, the actions taken by the social media giants could prove to be an even bigger boon. Conservatives have railed against social media companies in recent years, arguing that they heavily censor right-wing voices. (Such actions are often taken because of statements that violate company guidelines.)
Greitens resigned as governor of Missouri in 2018 amid a scandal involving allegations of extortion, tying and sexual assault. Sheena Greitens alleged that, at the time, Eric Greitens physically abused her and one of their sons, while exhibiting “unstable and compulsive behavior” to the extent that he did steps to restrict his access to firearms, court documents state.
Greitens has vehemently denied the allegations. But they continued to make him monitor the campaign.
Helen Wade, an attorney for Sheena Greitens, told The Kansas City Star that she will “absolutely” use the video during the couple’s ongoing trial.
Wade told the newspaper: “This has already passed, and said she will file court papers to turn the video into evidence in the case.
Other candidates in the Senate race also condemned the video.
Republican Senator Dave Schatz, called the video “totally irresponsible.”
“That’s why I’m running. Time to restore my sanity and reject this nonsense. Missouri deserves better,” Schatz said in a tweet.
Meanwhile, Democrat Lucas Kunce tweeted that “Terrorists, child abusers and criminals” like Greitens “can’t even get a weapon.”
“Help me defeat this guy in November, and I’ll keep our family safe from criminals like him,” Kunce said.
Once a revolving state, Missouri has become a more reliable Republican in recent years. But the race is nonetheless of national interest as some in the GOP worry that, given the latest allegations of abuse, as well as his previous scandals, Greitens will easily opposed by a Democrat.
And with the Senate equally divided, the GOP cannot afford to lose what would otherwise be a safe seat.
