Twitter suspends Indiana Rep. Jim Banks' official account over disparaging post about Dr. Rachel Levine

Associated Press
Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021 4:00 p.m. | Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021 4:00 p.m.

Donald Trump is greeted by Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., as he arrives at Indianapolis International Airport in Indianapolis.

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Twitter suspended an Indiana congressman’s official account after removing a post about a transgender Biden administration official over a violation of the social media company’s rules.

Twitter’s action Saturday came after Republican Rep. Jim Banks posted tweets last week regarding Dr. Rachel Levine becoming the first openly transgender four-star officer in the U.S. uniformed services. Levine is also the nation’s assistant secretary of health.

Banks had responded to the U.S. surgeon general congratulating Levine on her promotion in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps by writing: “The title of first female four-star officer gets taken by a man.”

Twitter SUSPENDS Indiana Rep Jim Banks’ official account after he misgendered transgender Assistant Health Secretary https://t.co/0IaRzVaKUc

— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) October 24, 2021

The post was removed with a reference to Twitter rules that include a ban on “targeted misgendering” of transgender people. Banks’ official Twitter account remained online Sunday but he wasn’t allowed to add new posts. His personal account with fewer followers remained active.

Banks, whose district covers Fort Wayne and surrounding northeastern Indiana, has frequently drawn attention with right-wing social media comments. He stood by his post about Levine.

Rep. Jim Banks says Twitter is silencing him... while freely tweeting from his second, personal account. Twitter says Banks is temporarily locked out for violating its "hateful conduct" policy. The issue: Banks misgendered a trans govt official. Here's my discussion with @Acosta pic.twitter.com/IS5B5YlY1M

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) October 25, 2021

“My tweet was a statement of fact,” Banks said in a statement. “Big Tech doesn’t have to agree with me, but they shouldn’t be able to cancel me. If they silence me, they will silence you. We can’t allow Big Tech to prevent us from telling the truth.”