Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who has held the position since 2019 under Governor Tim Walz, recently expressed approval when Brazil decided to shut down the social media platform X within its borders. Ellison, who has also been the deputy chair of the Democratic National Committee, shared his support for the Brazilian government’s censorship action in a post on social media on Monday.
Ellison posted, “Obrigado Brasil!” which translates to “Thank you Brazil” in English, following Brazil’s decision to ban X and impose fines on those using a VPN to access the app. The decision was corrected, and now no longer fines are imposed for people using VPN.
Ellison has a long-standing connection with Walz, having once described him as “the best choice for vice president” when Kamala Harris considered him for her running mate, according to Valley News.
At the time, Ellison said, “Tim Walz and Kamala Harris are true public servants who have spent their lives working tirelessly on behalf of the American people. Plus, they are both big-hearted, jovial people with great senses of humor and boundless optimism. I look forward to campaigning vigorously for the Harris-Walz ticket, and I cannot wait to see what Kamala and Tim accomplish on behalf of America.”
Elon Musk, the owner of X, responded to Ellison’s post, criticizing the Democratic Party by saying, “The Democratic Party – same one that used to defend the First Amendment – now wants to destroy the First Amendment.”
In recent months, Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has targeted Musk, X, and free speech, suspending the app in the country and allegedly threatening to arrest employees at X’s local office in Brazil.
