The Washington Free Beacon's Adam Kredo discussed Twitter verifying the Muslim Brotherhood, who has been deemed a terrorist organization by multiple countries, Monday night on One America News.
Tipping Point's Liz Wheeler opened the segment by citing the recent uproar the media has faced with fake news. She then asked Kredo how a terrorist organization managed to get a verification check mark instead of being grouped into the fake news category.
"But I don't understand, how is a terror group–how did they receive verification instead of being labeled as fake news?" Wheeler asked.
Kredo started off by saying that he would not call this "fake news" since it is the real position of this group. However, he said that it was a "real head-scratcher" as to why Twitter would verify this group, but then shut down the accounts of conservative advocates.
"Look, I think you're right if we're talking about the idea of fake news and conservative voices and other thinkers on Twitter having their own Twitter feeds shut down, granting verification to the brotherhood is a real head-scratcher," he said.
Wheeler cited Twitter permanently suspended Milo Yiannopoulos' account, which was shut down for harassment and couldn't the Muslim Brotherhood's account be considered harassment as well.
"That's a very good question and I think it actually goes beyond harassment," he said. "I think in many cases their statements and their actions, in particular, could be described as genocidal when you're talking about clearing out Egypt and they've been responsible for purges over there of non-Muslim Brotherhood members and also the terrorism they encourage in Israel is quite the same, I think, descriptor there. But, the question really relies on the shoulders of Twitter and I wish I had a great answer for you, but I simply don't because Twitter did not respond to my requests for comment about what's going on here."
Kredo then discussed what constitutes being verified and how those accounts are chosen. He cited that the Drudge Report, a very influential news website, still has yet to get a verification since the last time he checked.
He said that Twitter needs to seriously consider how they verify people if they want to be taken seriously as a social media website that promotes freedom of speech and freedom of expression.
Wheeler said that by verifying this terrorist organization, Twitter has given legitimacy to their call for sweeping the United States with violence for non-Muslim Brotherhood supporters.
"This is, in a sense, legitimizing the Muslim Brotherhood's very thesis, their very memorandum, which we know, Adam, the Muslim Brotherhood memorandum as it applies to the United States has to do with cultural jihad," she said.
Kredo not only said that she was right, but that Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) said something very similar.
"Verifying the Muslim Brotherhood’s Twitter feed helps further their narrative of civilization-Jihad," Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas), a Muslim Brotherhood critic who has authorized legislation to designate it in the United States as a terror organization, told the Washington Free Beacon.
"This maneuver makes the Brotherhood seem like a legitimate group while providing them cover to spread their radical version of Islam," Cruz added. "I look forward to working with the new administration to expose the Brotherhood’s efforts to increase their influence in America."
Kredo also said verifying this account helps to mainstream the violent messages that the terrorist organization promotes.
"I think that fits in right to exactly what the brotherhood wants," he said.