Facebook Removes GOP Senate Candidate’s ‘RINO Hunting’ Video
Facebook removed a video by Missouri Senate candidate Eric Greitens that shows him brandishing a shotgun and declaring that he’s hunting Republicans who go against the party.
On Monday, Facebook pulled a campaign video by Republican Senate candidate Eric Greitens of Missouri, in which he is seen wielding a shotgun and declaring that he is hunting RINOs, or Republicans In Name Only.
Greitens, a former Missouri governor who resigned in disgrace in 2018, is flanked by a tactical unit outside a home on a tree-lined street, whispering, “The RINO feeds on corruption and is marked by the stripes of cowardice,” using a term popularized by former President Donald Trump and his allies to disparage moderate or establishment Republicans.
The armed tactical team breaks through the front door and throws what appear to be flash-bang grenades inside. Greitens enters an empty living room through the smoke and says: “Join the MAGA crew. Get a RINO hunting permit. There’s no bagging limit, no tagging limit and it doesn’t expire until we save our country.”
Facebook said the video was removed “for violating our policies prohibiting violence and incitement.” Twitter said Greitens’ post violated its rules about abusive behavior but said it was leaving it up because it was in the “public’s interest” for the tweet to be viewable. The company’s move prevented the post from being shared any further.
Following tragic mass shootings and threats against government figures, the video arrives at a time when there is a renewed attention on political violence. After threatening to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a guy with a rifle, a knife, and zip ties were apprehended near his home two weeks ago. Around the same time, a gunman in Wisconsin killed a retired county judge before killing himself, and he had a hit list that included Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell, and Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers.
On Sunday, Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, one of two Republicans serving on the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, said he recently received a letter at his home threatening “to execute me, as well as my wife and 5-month-old child.”
Greitens is one of the Republican contenders in a hotly contested primary on Aug. 2 to fill the vacancy left by retiring GOP Sen. Roy Blunt. Greitens’ controversial new ad debuted as he tries to boost his poll numbers, boost his fundraising, and move past horrific charges of domestic abuse revealed in a signed affidavit submitted by his ex-wife in their child custody lawsuit in March.
Sheena Greitens has alleged that Eric Greitens was physically abusive to her and one of their sons while demonstrating such “unstable and coercive behavior” that steps were taken to limit his access to firearms, court documents state.
Helen Wade, Sheena Greitens’ lawyer, told The Kansas City Star that she would “absolutely” use the new campaign video in the couple’s court case.
Other candidates in the Senate race also condemned the video. Republican state Sen. Dave Schatz called it “completely irresponsible.”
Hours after the ad went up, Twitter added a label stating that it “violated the Twitter Rules about abusive behavior,” but that the platform “determined it may be in the public’s interest for the Tweet to remain accessible.” Meanwhile, Meta opted to remove the ad from Facebook, a spokesperson told CNN.