Update (1333ET): Facebook on Monday removed Greitens’ video, saying that it violated “our policies prohibiting violence and incitement.”
In response, Greitens accused the tech giant of censorship
“Facebook CENSORED our new ad calling out the weak RINOs. When I get to the US Senate, we are taking on Big Tech,” he wrote in a Facebook post.
Twitter, meanwhile, has not removed the video – but has instead added a notice that reads: “This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about abusive behavior. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the public’s interest for the Tweet to remain accessible.”
The social media giant will also limit engagement with the post, preventing users from giving it a “like” , “reply” , or retweeting it.
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Missouri Republican Senate candidate and former Navy SEAL Eric Greitens has come under fire from both sides of the aisle over a campaign ad that paints Trump supporters as murderous “RINO” hunters.
“I’m Eric Greitens Navy Seal, and today, we’re going RINO hunting,” he says, referring to so-called ‘Republicans in Name Only’ such as Mitt Romney and Evan McMullin.
“The RINO feeds on corruption and is marked by the stripes of cowardice,” he continues, before a team of militarized police breach an empty room. Greitens then tells people to “join the MAGA crew” and “get a RINO permit.”
“There’s no bagging limit, no tagging limit, and it doesn’t expire until we save our country.”
We are sick and tired of the Republicans in Name Only surrendering to Joe Biden & the radical Left.
Order your RINO Hunting Permit today! pic.twitter.com/XLMdJnAzSK
— Eric Greitens (@EricGreitens) June 20, 2022
In other words, “Hello fellow violent MAGAs!”
The ad comes as Congressional Democrats are pushing for more gun control – particularly “red flag” laws to take weapons away from anyone deemed to be an ‘unhinged gun nut,’ and one day after Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a RINO, claimed that he received a letter threatening to “execute” his family, including his 5-month-old baby.
Here is the letter. Addressed to my wife, sent to my home, threatening the life of my family. The Darkness is spreading courtesy of cowardly leaders fearful of truth. Is the what you want @GOP? Pastors?
https://t.co/YimZJcFp4W pic.twitter.com/BBgZ6Teur3
— Adam Kinzinger🇺🇦🇺🇸✌️ (@AdamKinzinger) June 19, 2022
It didn’t take long for left-leaning websites such as the Drudge Report to jump on it:
Meanwhile, many on the right were appalled at the ad.
“Why then did you make the MO Capitol a gun free zone, bash the Second Amendment Preservation Act using verbatim Mom’s Demand language, and refuse to support Constitutional Carry?” tweeted former NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch.
(Also think you should be the one breaching the door in your own ad.)
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) June 20, 2022
Others followed suit on both sides of the aisle:
Eric, this ad is unacceptably irresponsible to the point it would be disqualifying… Except, apparently, with the GOP base… It’s not cute, it’s not funny, it’s irresponsible and I question your judgement in making it.
— Montel Williams (@Montel_Williams) June 20, 2022
That ad of his sure has the potential to blow up in his face given today’s current political climate
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) June 20, 2022
How is this legal?
— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) June 20, 2022
Talk about handing out free gun control talking points.