Judd Legum

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

2. Facebook is well aware of this issue. I know because they've told me they are aware. I also know from employees that it is being raised internally. They've already decided that previous versions of THE EXACT SAME AD violate its rules. So there is no reason for delay. — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

1. These ads from a GOP Super PAC falsely attacking Raphael Warnock are still up. They've been up for two days. We can rule out negligence. Facebook is deliberately ignoring their rules to allow this false attack to be distributed on its platform. How do I know? — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

ESPN just showed this scene of the Florida football coach jumping into a crowd in the stands. The announcers called it a “fun” moment Glad there isn’t a pandemic in Florida https://t.co/TodWJ5x6mp — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

King & Spalding (@kslaw), the corporate law firm that hired Rod Rosenstein after he played a central role separating immigrant children from their parents has made last-minute maximum contributions to Loeffler (5K, 12/28) and Perdue (5K, 12/28) https://t.co/vjoEhmGxbH — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

15. Keep in mind, Facebook is ONLY allowing ads targeting Georgia and there are only a few dozen entities running ads. This is a Super PAC that has had ads removed three other times in the last two weeks. Facebook COULD stop this. But for some reason they won't — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

14. I will reach out to Facebook (again) and let you know if I hear back. In the meantime, if you work at Facebook and have any thoughts or information about this, reach out to me at [email protected] — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

13. Facebook has 50,000 employees and had 21.4 billion in revenue in the 3Q 2020. My newsletter has 2 employees and 0 billion in revenue in the 3Q 2020. But I seem to care more about this than Facebook? If you care too, check out my newsletter. https://t.co/TfpCItdVSo — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

12. Last night, on 12/29, Facebook approved another set of ads from American Crossroads making the same false claims against Warnock. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME THEY'VE POSTED FACEBOOK ADS W/THESE FALSE CLAIMS. According to Facebook these ads could have already reached 1M+ Georgians https://t.co/mXmBKkmud1 — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

11. On Christmas, Facebook finally took down the third set of ads from American Crossroads that made these false claims. I thought this situation was over. IT WAS NOT. https://t.co/8hSX4ums4U — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

10. This December ad remained up for several days. Meanwhile, on December 24, Facebook's head of global public policy, Joel Kaplan, contributed the legal maximum ($2800) to Perdue and Loeffler. https://t.co/CU3cgjv3ZE — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

9. Then, on December 22, American Crossroads posted another ad WITH THE SAME FALSE ATTACK ON WARNOCK. IT WAS APPROVED BY FACEBOOK AGAIN This was a claim that was already removed TWICE by Facebook https://t.co/2lfzBnidB9 — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

8. I exposed what happened on Twitter and, after a delay of several hours, Facebook took down the duplicated ad. https://t.co/KjmQj0ToXp — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

7. But on December 20, American Crossroads just reposted the EXACT SAME AD dishonestly attacking Warnock. AND FACEBOOK APPROVED IT. American Crossroads quickly spent more than 8K on this ad that was previously removed, and reached as many as 250K Georgia voters. https://t.co/DocfYcd3Da — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

6. Several hours later, Facebook finally removed the ads for violating its policies. That is what they are supposed to do. Under Facebook's rules, politicians and parties can post false political ads but Super PACs cannot. https://t.co/UeogjRtYYR — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

5. Based on my Twitter thread on 12/17, one of Facebook's fact-checking partners evaluated the American Crossroads ad and came to the same conclusion: It misleads voters because it lacks context https://t.co/Z7BJWO2JeN https://t.co/p5jJBObkff — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

4. Here's Warnock's full quote: "Extracted from its theological and rhetorical context and looped to the point of ad nauseam was the most provocative phrase 'God Damn America'" The ad claims this means Warnock "He repeated the same anti-American hate himself" FALSE. https://t.co/tgpUuiUL41 — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

3. The American Crossroads ad tells Georgia voters on Facebook that Warnock said "God Damn America." As if he was expressing his own views. But he wasn't. He was quoting Jerimiah Wright in a speech he delivered on 7/11/13. We tracked down the full quote — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

2. The story began on December 17, after Facebook begins allowing political ads in Georgia. American Crossroads, a Super PAC run by Karl Rove and financed by Mitch McConnell, starts running a brutally dishonest ad against Raphael Warnock — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

1. I wish I didn't have to do this but this is going to be a new thread about how Facebook is STILL permitting Republican Super PACs to REPEATEDLY VIOLATE FACEBOOK'S RULES and run ads with false attacks on Raphael Warnock. Follow along if interested. — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

McConnell will not allow a vote on 2K checks, including his own bill which paired them with a repeal of Section 230. The only path to 2K checks is to relocate McConnell to the minority — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

@treasonsbad 42 — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

@WadeLitchfield It was more like Draft Kings in that you got to set your team each week and it was a competition to who could compile the best team — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

I also played fantasy basketball by postal mail. https://t.co/tN18vhIQXL — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

@CentiPenny @debralous @NewYorker hard pass — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

12. If you are interested in the kind of reporting I did this year, I will be doing more next year. I've also made the publication completely FREE during the pandemic and it will stay that way until the pandemic ends Pay only if you think its worth it https://t.co/TfpCItdVSo — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

11. Are subscription newsletters on Substack and elsewhere the ANSWER to the issues with journalism? No. Can every journalist succeed with a newsletter? Also no. But I believe newsletters can play a useful role in holding the powerful accountable. — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

10. Second, independent newsletters aren't owned by billionaires. I'm not saying billionaire-owned publications can't do good work, but it's useful to have some places that aren't owned by billionaires as well — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

9. What are the advantages? First, no advertising. Popular Information is not financially dependent on the corps we cover in any way That's a benefit. There isn't the psychological impact of having "FACEBOOK SUPPORTS UPDATED INTERNET REGULATIONS" plastered across every article — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

8. I have a bunch more examples in my year-in-review. But the larger point is while an independent newsletter has some DISADVANTAGES compared to large media orgs in holding power to account it also has some significant ADVANTAGES https://t.co/yjrOVZSNZV — PolitiTweet.org

Judd Legum @JuddLegum

7. In a joint investigation with @emorwee (HEATED), Popular Information revealed that Facebook exempted an “opinion” piece published in the Washington Examiner promoting climate misinformation from fact-checking https://t.co/xMhj1lBNbP — PolitiTweet.org