A top Arkansas Democrat politician took a tweet a little too personally.
According to KARK, former Democrat Gubernational candidate Chris Jones filed a DEFAMATION lawsuit against State Senator Bart Hester. Hester mocked Jones by saying he “may want to take a knee to terrorist sympathizers” after Jones praised protestors against Israel in a tweet to an Arkansas Times editor.
Lawsuit Filed After Mean Tweet
It all started when an editor for the Arkansas Times wrote on Twitter:
“Are there any instances where mass student protests turned out to be wrong?”
The editor’s comment comes amid current anti-Israel protests happening at college universities across the country.
Chris Jones wrote a tweet commenting on the question, saying:
“We would do well to NOT ignore them.”
Arkansas State Senator Bart Hester responded to Chris Jones with the following tweet:
@ArkDems 2022 Governor nominee @JonesForAR taking a Pro Hamas Terrorist position. @JonesForAR may want to take a knee to terrorist sympathizers.
I personally think hand cuffs and expulsion letters is the best way to NOT ignore them. https://t.co/NVnIXCO8hb
— Bart Hester (@BartHester) May 1, 2024
Jones later announced he was taking legal action for the possibly mean tweet:
“Today, I filed a civil lawsuit against Bart Hester for defamation with malice. This case is about protecting civil public discourse. It is about an apparent inability to have a grown-up conversation without someone defaming another person.”
Do YOU think mean tweets are a form of free speech? Comment below!