Elon Musk tweets link from site known to push right-wing misinformation
Twitter's new owner, Elon Musk, shared a link on Sunday to an article containing false claims about the attack on the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
Early Friday morning, Paul Pelosi was attacked inside his San Francisco home by a man with a hammer, police said. The suspect has been identified as David DePape, 42, who reportedly asked, "Where is Nancy? Where is Nancy?" once he got inside the house. During the attack, Paul Pelosi suffered a skull fracture and injuries to his hands and right arm; he underwent surgery and is expected to make a full recovery.
Hillary Clinton tweeted on Saturday that by spreading "hate and deranged conspiracy theories," Republicans are emboldening people to attack politicians and their loved ones. Musk responded on Sunday, replying, "There is a tiny possibility there might be more to this story than meets the eye." He included a link to an article from a website called the Santa Monica Observer, which baselessly claimed the suspect was a prostitute. The link was later deleted.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Brooke Jenkins, the San Francisco district attorney, told The New York Times on Sunday she has not seen any evidence to support the idea that the suspect and Paul Pelosi knew each other.
The Los Angeles Times wrote about the Santa Monica Observer in 2021, describing it as "notorious for publishing fake news." It has published claims that a Clinton body double debated Donald Trump in 2016, sunlight cures COVID-19, and during his presidency, Trump appointed Kanye West to a role in the Interior Department.
Anita Chabria, an opinion columnist at the Los Angeles Times, called Musk out on Sunday for spreading the "vicious and false conspiracy theory to his 112 million followers on his new toy, Twitter." The claim was "ugly, anti-LGBTQ garbage," Chabria stated, adding that "when the rich, powerful, and influential become peddlers of anti-democratic ammunition, they become dangerous to democracy. Musk, in a note to advertisers last week, wrote, 'Twitter obviously cannot become a free-for-all hellscape, where anything can be said with no consequences.' But then he made it just that. If we don't hold Musk and others like him accountable now, we may not have the chance."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
The Pentagon faces an uncertain future with Trump
Talking Point The president-elect has nominated conservative commentator Pete Hegseth to lead the Defense Department
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
This is what you should know about State Department travel advisories and warnings
In Depth Stay safe on your international adventures
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
'All Tyson-Paul promised was spectacle and, in the end, that's all we got'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Bluesky: the social media platform causing a mass X-odus
The Explainer Social media platform is enjoying a new influx but can it usurp big rivals?
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
What Trump's win could mean for Big Tech
Talking Points The tech industry is bracing itself for Trump's second administration
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Racist texts tell Black people in US to prepare for slavery
Speed Read Recipients in at least a dozen states have been told to prepare to 'pick cotton' on slave plantations
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Australia proposes social media ban before age 16
Speed Read Australia proposes social media ban before age 16
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
FTC bans fake online product reviews
Speed Read The agency will enforce fines of up to $51,744 per violation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is the world ready for Tesla's new domestic robots?
Talking Points The debut of Elon Musk's long-promised "Optimus" at a Tesla event last week has renewed debate over the role — and feasibility — of commercial automatons
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
States sue TikTok over children's mental health
Speed Read The lawsuit was filed by 13 states and Washington, D.C.
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
The next place you'll find Starlink tech isn't a war zone — it's your airplane seat
Under the Radar Several major airlines are offering free in-flight Wi-Fi through the technology
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published