close video Musk’s demand to Twitter staff ‘makes a lot of sense’: Jessica Melugin
Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Jessica Melugin joins ‘Mornings with Maria’ and reacts to Elon Musk’s demand to the Twitter workforce, layoffs in the Tech industry, and the FBI’s concern with TikTok.
Left-leaning Twitter users are resoundingly urging people to vote "no" on billionaire CEO Elon Musk's poll asking whether the social media network should reinstate former President Donald Trump.
The new "Chief Twit" on Friday asked his more than 116 million followers to weigh in on whether the platform should end Trump's permanent suspension from Twitter, posting a "yes" or "no" poll and declaring, "Vox Populi, Vox Dei," which means, "the voice of the people is the voice of God." By Saturday morning, more than 9.8 million people voted and "yes" led 52.3% to 47.7%.
Trump was previously banned from Twitter immediately after the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol building for allegedly inciting the violence or for fear he could use the platform in such a way.
Horrified left-wingers stormed Twitter and demanded their followers vote "no" to keep Trump off the website.
MUSK LIFTS TWITTER BANS FOR JORDAN PETERSON, KATHY GRIFFIN AND BABYLON BEE, SAYS 'NO' TO ALEX JONES
Former President Donald Trump speaks at a “Save America” rally on Oct. 22, 2022, in Robstown, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images / Getty Images)
"Idk man, last time he was here this platform was used to incite an insurrection, multiple people died, the Vice President of the United States was nearly assassinated, and hundreds were injured but I guess that’s not enough for you to answer the question. Twitter poll it is," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., tweeted.
"The bipartisan @January6thCmte has extensively covered how Trump’s use of Twitter played a critical role in the violence of that day. Review their extensive work & ask yourself why a billionaire is toying w/ bringing back the person responsible for this," she added, sharing video from the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk smiles as he addresses guests at the Offshore Northern Seas 2022 meeting in Stavanger, Norway on Aug. 29, 2022. (Carina Johansen/Getty Images / Getty Images)
"Donald Trump is a lifelong sexual predator; a traitor to America; a career criminal; a stochastic terrorist; a pathological liar; a serial adulterer; a semipro con man; a twice-impeached former president, and a racist, antisemite, misogynist, and Islamophobe. Vote accordingly," wrote Seth Abramson, an anti-Trump writer known for pushing Russiagate conspiracy theories.
"Trump didn't just organize a violent insurrection. He organized a violent insurrection *on twitter.* He literally used this platform to order his followers to kill people. and they did," said essayist Noah Berlatsky, whose writings have appeared in NBC Think, the Atlantic, and the Washington Post.
"Please vote NO," President Bill Clinton's former paramour Monica Lewinsky urged. "If ‘f–k no’ were an option i'd have taken that."
"I know the billions spaffer is mad and irritating, but can we just make sure that we do the one little thing we can to stop the orangutan coming back on here. Vote in the stupid poll," said Jack Blackburn, an editor at The Times.
THE BABYLON BEE'S TWITTER ACCOUNT REINSTATED BY ELON MUSK AFTER SUSPENSION FOR TRANSGENDER JOKE: ‘WE’RE BACK'
Several other verified users asked for more no votes, but there were plenty of Trump supporters campaigning for "yes.:
"Hell YES," Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, succinctly tweeted.
"Free speech for all!" declared Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan.
"Keep voting MAGA! Bring back Trump," Students for Trump founder Ryan Fournier wrote.
ELON MUSK'S NEW TWITTER POLICY SUPPRESSING ‘HATE TWEETS’ SPARKS CONFUSION, COMPARISONS TO ‘SHADOWBANNING’
Elon Musks Twitter account is displayed on the screen of an iPhone in front of the homepage of the Twitter website. (Chesnot/Getty Images / Getty Images)
On Friday, Musk announced that comedian Kathie Griffin, popular psychologist Dr. Jordan Peterson, and the Christian satire website The Babylon Bee had their accounts reinstated after their respective bans for violating Twitter's terms of service.
Musk also declared Twitter's policy going forward would be "freedom of speech, but not freedom of reach," and that accounts that tweet negative or hateful statements would be "deboosted" and "demonetized."
"You won’t find the tweet unless you specifically seek it out, which is no different from rest of Internet," Musk explained.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM FOX BUSINESS
Regarding Trump, the billionaire said no decision had been made yet. Previously, Musk said Twitter would convene a "content moderation council" to review banned accounts and discuss reinstatements.
It remains to be seen whether Musk means to seriously consider the results of his Twitter poll in his company's decision on Trump. However, before he purchased Twitter for $44 billion, Musk polled his followers on whether they believed the platform "rigorously" adhered to the principle of "free speech." In March, he wrote, "the consequences of this poll will be important," and after "no" won 70% of the more than 2 million votes cast, he began his acquisition of Twitter.
