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Let's get this story right:
Senator Hawley violated Senate rules when he blasted a @wojespn's email on his campaign Twitter account.
He did it to silence his own constituents--a display of muscle that if he can end Woj's job, he can end yours too. #FreeWoj
A THREAD
Senator Hawley violated Senate rules when he blasted a @wojespn's email on his campaign Twitter account.
He did it to silence his own constituents--a display of muscle that if he can end Woj's job, he can end yours too. #FreeWoj
A THREAD
Section 2.2 of the US Senate Internet Service & Technology Resources Usage Rules prohibits the "Use of Senate Internet Services & Senate technology resources for campaign, fundraising, commercial, or promotional purposes is prohibited . . ."
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#freewoj
https://www.senate.gov/usage/internetpolicy.htm
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#freewoj
https://www.senate.gov/usage/internetpolicy.htm
Senate Internet Services include the Senate Computer Network, World Wide Web, electronic mail, blogs, Podcasts, and streaming media used for official purposes.
Thus, Senate e-mail cannot be used for campaign purposes.
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Thus, Senate e-mail cannot be used for campaign purposes.
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Of course--that's exactly what Josh Hawley did.
See below the email he posted from @wojespn. Note that it was written to [email protected]. That's an official Senate e-mail account.
#freeWoj
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See below the email he posted from @wojespn. Note that it was written to [email protected]. That's an official Senate e-mail account.
#freeWoj
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Hawley then posted it to his campaign Twitter account @HawleyMO --not his Senate account @SenHawleyPress.
This is in direct violation of Senate rules.
What's more troubling is understanding why he did this.
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This is in direct violation of Senate rules.
What's more troubling is understanding why he did this.
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By publicly blasting an email from his Senate inbox, Hawley dares his constituents to provide negative feedback--because if you do + he doesn't like it, he will make your comment public.
+ if he can take down someone as public as @wojespn what chance do working people have?
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+ if he can take down someone as public as @wojespn what chance do working people have?
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This has a mass chilling effect on how willing Missourians are to come forward with concerns about their elected official.
Fear that their job + privacy could be threatened by a sitting US Senate with enormous power silences the democratic process.
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Fear that their job + privacy could be threatened by a sitting US Senate with enormous power silences the democratic process.
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The irony, of course, is that Hawley who professes to oppose China's destruction of free speech is simultaneously working to undermine free speech here in America.
Because that's what happens when leaders make the public fearful of dissent--people are less free to speak.
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Because that's what happens when leaders make the public fearful of dissent--people are less free to speak.
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And that's the story that matters here--Josh Hawley's flagrant abuse of power.
The Senate can hold him accountable for violating its rules. But as that won't happen, we need journalists to hold him accountable publicly and voters to hold him accountable at the ballot box.
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The Senate can hold him accountable for violating its rules. But as that won't happen, we need journalists to hold him accountable publicly and voters to hold him accountable at the ballot box.
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