Share
News

Trump Made Major Move in Court One Day Before Announcing 2024 Bid: 'This Is Not the American Way'

Share

Former President Donald Trump filed an appeal in federal court Monday in a lawsuit against former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and the federal government over Twitter’s 2021 decision to permanently suspend his account.

The move came one day before the 45th president launched his campaign to return to the White House.

On Jan. 8, 2021 — two days after the U.S. Capitol incursion —  Twitter announced its decision to permanently ban Trump’s account, with his over 80 million followers, “due to the risk of further incitement of violence.”

The social media giant said at the time that Trump’s tweets violated Twitter’s policies against the “glorification of violence.”

In May, San Francisco-based U.S. District Judge James Donato dismissed Trump’s lawsuit claiming that his First Amendment rights had been violated by Twitter’s decision.

Trending:
KJP Panics, Hangs Up in Middle of Interview When Reporter Shows He Isn't a Democratic Party Propagandist

In their Monday court filing at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, Trump’s attorneys sought a court order requiring Twitter to “immediately reinstate” the account, as well as compensatory and punitive damages for the ban.

Concerning the federal government, the Constitution precludes it from censoring disfavored speech, Trump’s team contended, so officials do an end-around with the help of big tech.

The government holds the power to remove Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

“Congress gave social media companies and other Internet denizens a golden gift enjoyed by no one else in the publishing industry: immunity from liability based on hosting or removing content on their platforms,” the brief says.

Do you think Trump's Twitter account should be reinstated?

The government uses “social media platforms as cat’s paws to suppress opinions and information about matters that Americans consider of vital interest—including those that turn out to be correct or at least debatable.”

The lawyers cite Hunter Biden’s laptop, the coronavirus Wuhan lab leak theory, the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine and the discussion about the integrity of 2020 election as examples where the government swayed the content of social media platforms.

“Most people once believed these to be crackpot ideas; many still do. But crackpot ideas sometimes turn out to be true. The earth does revolve around the sun, and it was Hunter Biden, not Russian disinformation agents, who dropped off a laptop full of incriminating evidence at a repair shop in Delaware,” the brief reads.

“Galileo spent his remaining days under house arrest for spreading heretical ideas, and thousands of dissidents today are arrested or killed by despotic governments eager to suppress ideas they disapprove of. But this is not the American way. We believe the path to truth is forged by exposing all ideas to opposition, debate, and discussion.”

Trump’s lawyers pointed out that Twitter had censored their client’s account multiple times prior to its decision to suspend him altogether, which they argue was detrimental to public discourse and due to threats made by government officials against social media platforms, a violation of their client’s First Amendment rights.

Related:
Man Charged in Connection with NYPD Officer's Death Gets an Earful from New Yorkers During Perp Walk

Trump launched his new social media platform, Truth Social, earlier this year, where he has over 4.5 million followers.

He said he has no plans to return to Twitter.

However, Trump attorney John Coale told Reuters on Monday, “We want him to have the right to get back on” Twitter.

New Twitter owner Elon Musk tweeted Friday there has been no decision yet whether to reinstate Trump.

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Share
Randy DeSoto has written more than 2,000 articles for The Western Journal since he joined the company in 2015. He is a graduate of West Point and Regent University School of Law. He is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths" and screenwriter of the political documentary "I Want Your Money."
Randy DeSoto is the senior staff writer for The Western Journal. He wrote and was the assistant producer of the documentary film "I Want Your Money" about the perils of Big Government, comparing the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. Randy is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths," which addresses how leaders have appealed to beliefs found in the Declaration of Independence at defining moments in our nation's history. He has been published in several political sites and newspapers.

Randy graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a BS in political science and Regent University School of Law with a juris doctorate.
Birthplace
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated dean's list from West Point
Education
United States Military Academy at West Point, Regent University School of Law
Books Written
We Hold These Truths
Professional Memberships
Virginia and Pennsylvania state bars
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Entertainment, Faith




Conversation