Republicans cheer possible Twitter-Musk deal, Democrats wary tech’s power
2022.04.26 01:51
FILE PHOTO: U.S. Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH) arrives for the Republican caucus meeting, in Washington, U.S., May 14, 2021. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Republicans in the U.S. Congress welcomed reports that billionaire Elon Musk was purchasing Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR), while Democrats slammed it as a sign that lawmakers had to move faster to rein in Big Tech.
Musk, owner of Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) and SpaceX, clinched the $44 billion cash deal on Monday.
U.S. Representative Jim Jordan, a member of the Freedom Caucus of conservative House Republicans, greeted the news with a tweet that said: “Free speech is making a comeback.”
Jordan and other Republicans have been critical of Twitter for banning former President Donald Trump and other notable conservatives. Trump was banned due to the risk of further violence after the U.S. Capitol was stormed on Jan. 6, 2021.
Trump, however, said on Monday that he will not return to Twitter even if his account is reinstated but would stay on his own social media startup.
Senator Marsha Blackburn, another Republican, said: “I am hopeful that Elon Musk will help rein in Big Tech’s history of censoring users that have a different viewpoint.”
But Senator Elizabeth Warren, a progressive and a critic of the tech platforms, called the deal “dangerous for our democracy.”
“Billionaires like Elon Musk play by a different set of rules than everyone else, accumulating power for their own gain. We need a wealth tax and strong rules to hold Big Tech accountable,” she said on Twitter.
Representative Ro Khanna said the deal was a reason to pass a bill to protect the data of people who go online.
“We need safeguards in place that give users more control over their data and ensure fairness and transparency,” Rep. Khanna said in a statement.
The Republicans are in the minority in the House, which is controlled by the Democrats.
