Elon Musk clearly works hard to achieve the title of self-appointed “Elon Musk.” “Chief Twit”.
The world’s richest man and newly-crowned Twitter owner proved that, now, anything goes on the social media app, after he shared a baseless conspiracy theory about Friday’s horrific attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband.
Musk retweeted an article suggesting that Paul Pelosi, 82, met 42-year-old David DePape – the man who would go on to violently beat him with a hammer – at a gay bar.
A link to the Santa Monica Observer He wrote the following: “There is a tiny possibility there might be more to this story than meets the eye.”
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Musk was responding to Hillary Clinton, the former first Lady and Democratic presidential candidate. LA TimesStory about DePape that claimed he promoted QAnon on social media and other far-right conspiracies.
Clinton wrote: “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.”
Musk has made it clear that he intends to make Twitter a major source of information. “free speech” is apparently confident he won’t be held accountable for stoking the flames of conspiracy. Or, at any rate, he doesn’t care if he is.
His inflammatory tweet racked up more than 12,000 retweets and 45,000 likes in less than two hours, with commentators quick to denounce the lurid story and Musk’s promotion of it.
Pelosi was attacked in a shocking attack just two weeks before midterm elections in the USA.
The intruder – who police later identified as DePape – broke into the couple’s San Francisco home, seizing a hammer and leaving a trail of broken glass before confronting the 82-year-old.
Witnesses claimed he shouted at them: “Where is Nancy?”Before launching into his horrible assault.
The ambush served as a stark reminder about the extremism in American politics, which has been a constant theme over recent years. This added to the sense of foreboding that is building up towards the November 8th elections.
Indeed, no sooner had the attack on the House Speaker’s husband taken place than several far-right conspiracies began circulating online.
This was all happening while the 82 year-old was in surgery for a fractured skull and other serious injuries to his right arm, hands and hand.
You would think that the trolls would at least have waited until he was able to lie down in his hospital bed before they started spewing their bile. But hey, conspiracy theorists don’t care about sensitivity, respect and, you know, the truth.
Elon, thanks for your support.
Update: Elon Muss appears to have deleted his tweet with the story.
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