On Sunday, new Twitter owner Elon Musk tweeted and deleted a link to an article pushing an unfounded conspiracy theory about the attack on Paul Pelosi. In the since deleted tweet responding to a tweet from Hillary Clinton, Musk wrote: “There is a tiny possibility there might be more to this story than meets the eye,” with a link to a story from the right-wing website Santa Monica Observer — a site that has pushed an anti-LGBT conspiracy theory regarding the attack.
Clinton had tweeted a link to a story in The Los Angeles Times about 42-year-old David Wayne DePape, the man suspected of beating House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, with a hammer inside the Pelosi’s San Francisco home on Friday. Clinton tweeted: “The Republican Party and its mouthpieces now regularly spread hate and deranged conspiracy theories. It is shocking, but not surprising, that violence is the result. As citizens, we must hold them accountable for their words and the actions that follow.”
DePape allegedly broke into the Pelosi’s home on Friday and was immediately apprehended by police and will be charged with attempted homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, burglary and several additional felonies, according to authorities. A review of suspected social media posts by DePape shows him spreading conspiracy theories about Holocaust denial, pedophiles in the government, and claims that Democratic officials run child sex rings.
Musk’s deleted tweet was sent days after the Tesla CEO officially took control of the social media platform earlier this week after purchasing it for $44 billion. The tweet raises concerns about the type of content that will be allowed on the social media site under his control.
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