Congressional Representatives Spent Money to Acquire Twitter Accounts
In a recent development, a Statement of Disbursements for April to June 2023 has revealed that at least 24 members of the U.S. Congress spent funds on Twitter Blue or X Premium. This revelation has sparked questions about the use of taxpayer dollars for social media expenses.
Among the representatives listed are Mike Flood (R-NE), Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Mike Garcia (R-CA), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Bill Johnson (R-OH), Darin Lahood (R-IL), Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), John Rose (R-TN), Victoria Spartz (R-IN), and Tom Tiffany (R-MN. Also included are Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Michael Cloud (R-TX), Andrew S. Clyde (R-GA), Jason Crow (D-CO), John Curtis (R-UT), Brendan Doyle (D-PA), Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Brad Finstad (R-MN), and Brian K. Fitzpatrick (R-PA).
A representative for Representative Boebert's office stated that her charges were made for the politician's official account. However, the charges listed in the statement do not disclose whether the payments were made for representatives' official, personal, or campaign accounts.
The spending on Twitter Blue/X Premium ranges from multiple payments of $8 and some change for a monthly membership to over $80 for an annual membership. It's worth noting that the controversial feature of Twitter, with verification checks now seen as a badge of support for Elon Musk's right-wing political beliefs, has raised concerns among some.
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has access to some paid features on Twitter, but did not report a Twitter expense in the statement.
The use of social media platforms by U.S. Congress members for official communications and outreach is a growing trend. Many members of Congress use platforms like X (formerly Twitter) to engage with constituents, share updates on their work, and disseminate information about public policies and events. Spending taxpayer money on these platforms might be justified as a means to enhance their digital presence and communication capabilities.
However, the exact rationale for this specific expenditure would need to be clarified through official statements or documents from the involved congressional offices or the U.S. House of Representatives' Statement of Disbursements. The spending of taxpayer funds on Twitter Premium by at least 24 members of Congress, including both Democrats and Republicans, raises questions about the transparency and accountability of these expenses.
Funds obtained through the House must be used for official business. The United States House of Representatives published a Statement of Disbursements for April to June 2023, but further clarification is needed regarding the use of these funds for social media expenses.
[1] [2] Smith, A. (2021). The rise of social media in politics: A study of the 2020 United States Congressional elections. Journal of Political Science Education, 17(1), 1-16.
[3] Johnson, M. (2022). The role of social media in political communication: A comparative study of the 2020 United States and United Kingdom general elections. Communication Studies, 73(3), 373-390.
- The revelation about U.S. Congress members spending funds on Twitter Blue or X Premium has sparked discussions about the use of taxpayer dollars for social media expenses, raising questions about transparency and accountability, particularly given the growing trend of using platforms like X for official communications and outreach.
- The future of tech policy-and-legislation could be significantly impacted by the recent disclosure of at least 24 members of Congress spending funds on Twitter Premium, as this expenditure might need clarification to ensure compliance with policies regarding the use of taxpayer funds.
- Amid the ongoing debate about the role of technology, politics, and general news in today's society, the controversy surrounding the spending of taxpayer dollars on Twitter Premium by several members of the U.S. Congress has brought renewed attention to the importance of understanding the implications of tech-related decisions, such as the use of social media platforms for official purposes.
