SpaceX Chief Engineer Elon Musk gestures throughout a joint news convention with T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert (not pictured) on the SpaceX Starbase, in Brownsville, Texas, August 25, 2022.
Adrees Latif | Reuters
Elon Musk, the new owner of Twitter, tweeted out an unfounded conspiracy theory Sunday morning about the attack on the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from an internet site that has a historical past of publishing false information.
Musk responded to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when she tweeted out an L.A. Times story about how the suspect within the attack on Paul Pelosi, David DePape, unfold far-right conspiracy theories.
“There is a tiny possibility there might be more to this story than meets the eye,” Musk wrote to Clinton, linking to a narrative revealed on a right-wing web site referred to as the Santa Monica Observer that questioned the circumstances of the attack on Pelosi, in keeping with an archived model of the story. (The web site was not accessible late Sunday morning.)
As of late Sunday morning, Musk’s tweet had greater than 24,000 retweets and greater than 86,000 likes, and was rapidly gaining extra traction.
The fact-checking web site Media Bias/Fact Check rates the Santa Monica Observer as a “questionable source” primarily based on “the routine publication of false and misleading information and the use of poor sources.”
Media Bias/Fact Check mentioned the web site’s article on the Pelosi attack “appears to be fake and defamatory.”
Musk didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from NBC News.
The Santa Monica Observer has additionally revealed different pretend tales that falsely reported that former Secretary Clinton died within the September 11, 2001 assaults and had been utilizing a physique double since then, and that Ye, the rapper previously often called Kanye West, was appointed to a non-existent place within the Department of the Interior below former President Donald Trump.
The writer of the web site, David Ganezer, unsuccessfully ran for Santa Monica City Council in 2010 and 1988, in keeping with the Santa Monica Daily Press. He is at present a registered Republican, voting information present.
Musk’s tweet comes simply days after his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter was finalized. Musk has mentioned he’ll loosen rules about what sort of speech is allowed on the platform. That vow has prompted considerations that the modifications may drive customers and advertisers from the site.
DePape attacked Pelosi, 82, with a hammer after breaking into their California residence early Friday. The suspect was trying to find the House speaker, who was in Washington, D.C. on the time, two sources instructed NBC News.
Police arrived after Pelosi referred to as 911 when the suspect wasn’t trying.
Pelosi suffered a cranium fracture and critical accidents to his proper arm and palms, in keeping with Drew Hammill, spokesman for Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He underwent profitable surgical procedure and is predicted to make a full restoration, Hammill added Friday.
Police mentioned DePape shall be charged with tried murder, amongst different fees. Officials have mentioned they’re nonetheless working to find out a motive within the attack
