Twitter intervened after conservative talk show host Jesse Kelly pondered on the platform if there would be a “need” on Election Day for Kenosha gunman and alleged murderer Kyle Rittenhouse.
Mr. Kelly, a two-time former Republican congressional candidate, was found to have violated Twitter’s rules with the post, which prompted condemnation from other users prior to being pulled.
The post from the host of “The Jesse Kelly” radio show was made from his popular Twitter account on Monday and referred to a report about Mr. Rittenhouse being ordered held on $2 million bail.
“But what if we need him tomorrow?” Mr. Kelly asked in the post. It later vanished from the social media service.
Mr. Rittenhouse, 17, faces homicide charges over the deaths of two people fatally shot this summer in Kenosha, Wisconsin, during unrest that erupted amid the city experiencing days of protests.
Lawyers for Mr. Rittenhouse maintain he traveled to Kenosha from Illinois to protect local businesses from rioters and to render medical care to others, and they argue he acted in self-defense.
Election Day 2020 has been preceded both by fears of armed militias intimidating voters, and with cities across the country bracing for potentially violent protests to take place over the results of the White House race.
Mr. Kelly’s tweet accordingly caused other verified Twitter users to raise concerns before it ultimately disappeared from the platform.
A spokesperson for Twitter told The Washington Times on Tuesday that Mr. Kelly’s tweet was found in violation of the company’s policy on glorifying violence and was actioned accordingly.
Mr. Kelly had not commented publicly about Twitter’s response as of later Tuesday afternoon. A message seeking his reaction was not immediately returned.
Twitter prohibits users from celebrating, praising, or condoning violent crimes “where people were targeted because of their membership in a protected group, or the perpetrators of such acts.”
Mass shootings are covered under Twitter’s policy on glorifying violence. Mr. Rittenhouse is accused of shooting three people total, including two fatally wounded and another that was injured.
More than 250,000 other Twitter accounts follow Mr. Kelly’s profile on the platform, @JesseKellyDC, and his radio show is syndicated by Key Networks and hosted on platforms including Spotify.
He unsuccessful ran in Arizona for the U.S. House of Representatives as a Republican in 2010 and 2012.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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