WASHINGTON–Rep. Jim Banks, a Republican who represents northeastern Indiana in Washington, was suspended from using his official Twitter page Saturday. Twitter said Banks violated their hateful speech code of conduct when he intentionally referred to Health and Human Services assistant secretary for health Rachel Levine as a man.
“I won’t back down,” Banks wrote on his personal account. “I’ll be posting on my personal account for the time being.”
Twitter said Banks could unlock his account upon deleting the Tweet.
Levine is the first transgender person to reach four star rank in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. Levine was born a man and Banks referred to Levine as such.
Twitter’s code includes suspension for “targeted misgendering or deadnaming of transgender individuals.”
The Twitter account IND Progressives referred to Banks as a bigot and Tweeted that he should receive the “Trump treatment” from Twitter.
“BigTech censorship & suppression of free speech is out of control,” Tweeted fellow Republican Victoria Spartz. “Judiciary Comm must pass legislation to protect the rights of American people & reform BigTech unlimited immunity”
