A GOP congressional candidate in California is promoting his campaign on a platform frequented by white supremacists


A California congressional hopeful with designs on ousting one of President Trump's biggest critics in the House has been using a social media platform frequented by white supremacists to promote his campaign, ThinkProgress reports. Edwin Duterte, a Republican with no prior political experience, announced in August that he would challenge Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) for her congressional seat.
Two months later, Duterte had created a paid account to promote his campaign on Gab, a social media platform whose logo bears a striking resemblance to the alt-right's beloved Pepe the Frog. Duterte has used the platform to ask users which policies he should advocate for and promote within his campaign, ThinkProgress notes, but he has also declined to specifically condemn objectionable stances.
When a Gab user mocked Duterte for saying he was accepting of all races, for example, the aspiring congressman replied, "This isn't some statement saying you should do this or you shouldn't do that. If you want to only be with people you identify with, go ahead. None of my business." ThinkProgress reports that Duterte has posted more than 200 times since mid-October.
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.
When ThinkProgress reached Duterte about his use of Gab, he defended the platform and said that to attack Gab while ignoring that "terrible people" exist on other platforms is "fake news." "I am a firm believer in free speech and intend to communicate across all forms of media," he said. "Gab is a neutral and free platform. Anyone can sign up and hit 'compose.'"
In August, Gab was removed from the Google Play Store for violating Google's hate speech policy. Slate wrote of the platform in August that "if an anti-Semitic or racist or sexist remark isn't the first post you come across, it's likely the second, third, or fourth."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kelly O'Meara Morales is a staff writer at The Week. He graduated from Sarah Lawrence College and studied Middle Eastern history and nonfiction writing amongst other esoteric subjects. When not compulsively checking Twitter, he writes and records music, subsists on tacos, and watches basketball.
-
5 artfully drawn cartoons about Donald Trump's Epstein doodle
Cartoons Artists take on a mountainous legacy, creepy art, and more
-
Violent videos of Charlie Kirk’s death are renewing debate over online censorship
Talking Points Social media ‘promises unfiltered access, but without guarantees of truth and without protection from harm’
-
What led to Poland invoking NATO’s Article 4 and where could it lead?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION After a Russian drone blitz, Warsaw’s rare move to invoke the important NATO statute has potentially moved Europe closer to continent-wide warfare
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to Trump
Speed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raids
Speed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mount
Speed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own list
speed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battle
Speed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants