Twitter accused of protecting CNN after tech giant bans James O'Keefe: 'They're all on the same team'
By Joseph A. Wulfsohn | Fox News
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Critics accused Twitter Thursday of banning Project Veritas founder James O'Keefe from its platform over the right-wing guerrilla news outlet's damning exposé of CNN.
Project Veritas relaunched its #ExposeCNN campaign this week by sharing footage of CNN technical director Charles Chester revealing the liberal network's dirty laundry. In the footage, Chester claimed that CNN's "focus" during the 2020 election campaign was to "get rid of" President Trump, that the network hyped its coronavirus coverage for "gangbuster" ratings, and that it aims to "help" Black Lives Matter.
On Thursday, O'Keefe's Twitter account, which was sharing Project Veritas' reporting, was permanently suspended over alleged use of "fake accounts."
"As outlined in our policy on platform manipulation and spam, 'You can’t mislead others on Twitter by operating fake accounts,' and 'you can’t artificially amplify or disrupt conversations through the use of multiple accounts,'" a Twitter spokesperson told Fox News.
O'Keefe categorically denied Twitter's assertions, telling Fox News that he vows to sue the tech giant for defamation.
Twitter declined to comment when asked what fake accounts O'Keefe allegedly used. The company also did not respond to requests for comment on O'Keefe's pending lawsuit.
Critics, however, were not buying Twitter's "fake accounts" accusation.
"In case you haven't figured out how it works by now... @CNN spreads propaganda to elect Democrats[.] And then @Twitter runs interference to protect CNN. They're all on the same team," tweeted Donald Trump Jr., who later added, "At this point, both @CNN and @Twitter should have to register with the FEC as Democrat Super PACs."
"O’Keefe exposes CNN for lying about me and Donald Trump for propaganda. Then Twitter suspends him," said Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., alluding to comments the CNN staffer made about the network hyping the congressman's scandals as "propaganda."
"Have to wonder what threats CNN made to Twitter to achieve this," New York Post reporter Jon Levine quipped.
"Twitter banned Carpe Donktum right after his viral parody of CNN with the babies and they banned James O'Keefe after he released videos of a CNN employee that embarrassed the company," wrote Daily Caller social media associate Greg Price, recalling Twitter's suspension of the pro-Trump meme creator.
"After the latest round of hidden camera videos embarrassing to CNN were released, @JamesOKeefeIII has been permanently banned from Twitter. The @Project_Veritas account was also recently banned. This is how big tech works with liberal corporate media to take down challengers," journalist Andy Ngo wrote.
"Twitter has just suspended @JamesOKeefeIII. He violated no policy. But his reporting exposed @CNN bias, and their friends at Twitter apparently couldn’t stand for that. What happened to giving "everyone the power to create and share ideas and information instantly,' @jack?" Live Action president Lila Rose called out Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.
Former CNN contributor Steve Cortes also asked: "Twitter intervenes to protect CNN?" in response to the news.
Twitter did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.
Twitter has also been the subject of recent Project Veritas exposés. In January, the outlet obtained and published internal remarks by top executives, including CEO Jack Dorsey, following the permanent suspension of then-President Donald Trump.
Twitter previously suspended Project Veritas' account back in February for alleged violation of its policy against sharing private information.
