Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Suspended From Twitter After Harassing Georgia Election Official

Topline

Twitter on Sunday temporarily suspended the account of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who first gained a social media following by promoting the QAnon conspiracy theory and who routinely posts outlandish content online, after the freshman Georgia congresswoman sparred with a state election official over baseless voter fraud allegations.

Key Facts

What To Watch For 

Conservatives have flocked to fringe social media sites since Trump was banned by Twitter and a host of other social media platforms. Greene and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), another freshman congresswoman who has flirted with QAnon ideas, joined Gab this weekend, a site known for its hands off approach to moderating content and for being a bastion of conspiracy theories and hate speech. 

Surprising Fact

In September, Greene posted a photoshopped meme on Facebook of her standing with a gun next to progressive House members known as “The Squad.”

Tangent

Greene has embraced controversy during her first few days in Congress. She has at times refused to wear a mask, defying chamber rules, and said she will file an article of impeachment against President-elect Joe Biden when he takes office. In the lead up to the impeachment vote on Wednesday, Greene wore a mask with the word “censored” emblazoned on it as she freely spoke from a microphone on the House floor. 

Key Background

Twitter, joined by nearly all other social media companies, cracked down on misinformation, hate speech, and conspiracy theories in the wake of the Capitol attack. Twitter banned more than 70,000 accounts that promoted QAnon, the company announced last week, and permanently suspended multiple high-profile accounts, including Trump’s. 

Further Reading

‘Reject’ QAnon Or Be ‘Consumed’ By It, Sasse Tells Republicans In Wake Of Capitol Riot (Forbes)

QAnon reshaped Trump’s party and radicalized believers. The Capitol siege may just be the start. (Washington Post)

Georgia GOP Election Official Blames Trump And Marjorie Taylor Greene For Senate Loss (Forbes)

‘What The Hell’s The Matter With Them?’: Biden Takes Aim At Anti-Mask Lawmakers (Forbes)