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Brat’s Office Removes ‘Likes’ of Controversial Parkland Tweets

Tweets speculated that Parkland shooting survivors appearing on cable shows were paid actors

Rep. Dave Brat, R-Va., has come under criticism for his campaign account's social media activity. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)
Rep. Dave Brat, R-Va., has come under criticism for his campaign account's social media activity. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)

After public criticism for “liking” multiple controversial tweets, Virginia Rep. Dave Brat’s staff removed the likes from his campaign Twitter account.

Brat, a member of the conservative Freedom Caucus, had come under criticism after his account liked tweets implying that one of the students who survived the shooting in Parkland, Florida, was an actor, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.

The post in question was a tweet aimed at CNN saying someone should ask Hogg “Who is paying your expenses” and “Do you have an agent?”

Brat’s office released a statement saying that the tweets had been liked by a staffer who thought she was using her personal Twitter account.

“Dave did not approve the ‘liking’ of these tweets nor would he (have) approved of liking the question about Mr. Hogg,” the statement read. “As has consistently been his position, neither Dave nor his staff, support any alt-right views or individuals.”

Brat’s statement said the campaign is “putting safeguards in place to ensure that it will not happen again.”

This is not the first time Brat’s social media activity has gotten him in trouble.

In July, Brat said a staffer had posted a picture on his Twitter and Instagram without his approval endorsing sending former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Libya as ambassador.

In September, it was revealed that a woman named Sara James, who had been debating liberals about Brat on social media, was a staffer for Brat’s campaign. She is no longer part of his campaign, the Times-Dispatch reported.

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