by Joseph Weber
On the day Elon Musk took over Twitter, the social media platform flagged a post by Just the News Editor-in-Chief John Solomon about Florida Gov. GOP Ron DeSantis’ administration asking for a police probe into a Democrat politician’s whistleblower complaint about voting irregularities.
Solomon argues Twitter action Thursday night unfairly flagged the post – with the note “Warning: this link may be unsafe” – and is asking Musk, who has vowed to stop the platform from unjustly censuring content, to intervene.
“If you think it’s wrong for @Twitter to censor an accurate, on-the-record story with fair comment let @elonmusk know,” Solomon wrote Friday in a series of tweets. “This action not only harms Just the News, it also silences a prominent voice in the African-American community in Florida.”
The JTN story Thursday states DeSantis’ new election crimes unit has recommended state police open a full criminal investigation into a Democrat whistleblower’s detailed complaint of a long-running, widespread ballot harvesting operation in the African-American communities in politically important central Florida.
Former Orange County Commissioner candidate Cynthia Harris filed a sworn affidavit in late August with the Florida’s Secretary of State’s office alleging that illegal operations to collect third-party ballots have been going on for years in the Orlando area where voting activists are paid $10 for each ballot they collect.
Solomon on Friday also tweeted: “Hey @elonmusk know it’s first day on job but @Twitter marks this story unsafe. It’s an announcement by Florida officials that they have recommended a criminal investigation into possible ballot harvesting. Not a great start to new era of free speech. Help please?”
The pleas to the new Twitter boss were shared widely by prominent voices, including New York Post journalist Miranda Devine, whose reporting on the Hunter Biden laptop was previously censored by Twitter two years ago, and radio show host and former Trump adviser Sebastian Gorka.
“Well?” Gorka tweeted, pleading with Musk for an answer.
In a statement, Solomon said: “I know it’s only Elon Musk’s first day on the job. I’m sure there are lots of things he must address inside the company. But there would be no more powerful statement than for him to reverse this action.
“Mr. Musk, tear down this wall of censorship. Reporters must be allowed to report accurate stories about state officials making announcements without fear of their content, being labeled unsafe,” he added.
Mr. @elonmusk tear down this wall of censorship! https://t.co/g9jqK7J8b5
— John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) October 28, 2022
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Joseph Weber comes to JusttheNews after covering national politics for Fox News since 2011. Weber has also been a reporter and editor for such news and media operations as Gannett newspapers and The Washington Times – covering four presidential campaigns, the 9/11 terror attacks and the NFL.
Photo “Elon Musk” by Daniel Oberhaus. CC BY 2.0.
