Updated: Sen. Rep. Steve Daines, R-Mont., stands by a photo of himself and his wife from the victim who reportedly got him suspended from Twitter Monday night, as #FreeSteveDaines trended among conservatives on social media.
“My wife is a great shot. What can I say?” Dennis said.
Dennis’ account was reinstated on Tuesday afternoon, and the senator thanked Elon Musk for recognizing that his photo was similar to victim photos that Americans regularly post.
“This is our Montana way of life and we’re proud of it. I’m glad Elon Musk recognizes that,” Dennis said. Statement After restoring his account.
The senator from the Big Sky State was suspended from the media outlet Monday evening over a photo of him and his wife with a Montana deer that violated the platform’s “rules against graphic violence,” according to Twitter. A violation was committed.
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Dennis was banned from using a victim photo of him and his wife as his Twitter profile picture. (Senator Steve Dennis)
The National Republican Sanitary Committee (NRSC), chaired by Dines, released a statement condemning Twitter’s move.
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“This is madness. Twitter should immediately reverse this suspension,” said NRSC spokesman Philip Letso.
Other members of Congress have spoken out against Twitter’s actions, saying the platform should not censor individuals simply because they disagree with a post.
“Ridiculous. My friend @SteveDaines is in @Twitter jail for posting this pic with his wife Cindy. If you don’t like hunting, fine, don’t go, but don’t censor others who disagree. And I am. I believe that’s a formal job responsibility for a senator from Montana!” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas., wrote in a post using the tag #FreeSteveDaines.
“@SteveDaines told me he was aiming for a balloon, but hit a deer instead,” Cruz said in another tweet.
Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., also defended his fellow Montana politician, congratulating the senator’s wife on her “great shot.”
“This is the family photo that was found. @SteveDaines Twitter put in jail. Stop censoring our Montana lifestyle! Great shot, Cindy!” Zinke wrote.
of Twitter Sensitive media policy States that certain images may be removed, including images or video that “depicts excessively graphic or gruesome material related to death,” including “torture or killing of animals.” The guidelines also state that exceptions to the policy may include “religious sacrifice, food preparation or processing, and hunting.”
Twitter did not respond to a request for comment on the suspension.
After Twitter users blew up in Dennis’s defense, CEO Elon Musk said the issue was being addressed.
“This is being fixed. The policy against showing blood in profile pictures is being amended to ‘clearly show blood without clicking on profile pictures’. This is intended to discourage people from looking at horrific profile pictures. To protect from,” he wrote in a Twitter post. .
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