Is DeSantis going to be the one who finally breaks Twitter? Florida's Gov. has come up with a great plan to bring Twitter to heel but the National Security Apparatus may weigh in

American Thinker ^ | 04/21/2022 | Andrea Widburg

[SeekAndFind]

With the Twitter board having created a poison pill strategy to block Elon Musk from buying the entire company, it appeared that Musk might end up being stymied. However, Florida’s governor Ron DeSantis may be riding to the effort with a shareholder’s suit accusing the board of directors of breaching its fiduciary duty. However, even if the board is forced to bow down, it’s possible that America’s national security apparatus may step in to block the sale.

To catch you up on things, Twitter has become Ground Zero for the left’s control of the flow of information. Democrats in politics and the media claim that the only way to save democracy in America is to end freedom of speech. Apparently, the Founders were fools when they drafted the First Amendment because they believed our inherent right to free speech is essential to a democratic republic.

Elon Musk, who is too friendly with China and builds electric cars because he believes in anthropogenic climate change, is nevertheless a free speech absolutist. He recognizes that Twitter is endangering the American experiment by stifling all speech that does not serve the interests of the Democrat party. Therefore, Musk bought a bunch of shares in the open market and then made an offer to buy the entire company for a price over 35% more than the market price per share. The sale would be a huge windfall for Twitter shareholders.

The Twitter board responded by creating a poison pill strategy that would vastly increase the costs of the buyout for Musk. Technically speaking, this is a legitimate move. Corporations facing a hostile takeover frequently respond with poison pills.

[SeekAndFind]

However, things are a bit different here. The poison pill strategy is meant to protect against takeovers that will destroy the value of shareholders’ interest in the company or that will destroy the company itself. In this case, as noted, Musk’s offer will enrich shareholders.

NOW - Gov. DeSantis wants to hold Twitter's board and directors accountable for potentially injuring Florida's pension fund.

[SeekAndFind]

But there is fly in the ointment to DeSantis’ plan.

See here:

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/04/20/former-intel-officials-want-efforts-to-break-up-big-tech-stopped-data-control-and-retention-of-social-media-partnership-is-a-national-security-imperative/

According to former intel officials, any efforts to affect big tech companies, including Musk’s buy-out plan, create a national security risk:

Former Obama era intelligence officials, those who helped construct, organize and assemble the public-private partnership between intelligence data networks and supported social media companies, have written a letter to congress warning that any effort to break up Big Tech (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google, Microsoft, etc.) would be catastrophic for the national security system they have created.

Citing the information control mechanisms they assembled, vis-a-vis the ability of social media networks to control and approve what is available for the public to read and review, the intelligence officials declare that any effort to break up the private side of the intel/tech partnership will only result in less ability of the intelligence apparatus to control public opinion.

[PGR88]

However, even if the board is forced to bow down, it’s possible that America’s national security apparatus may step in to block the sale.

At least people are accepting that media is propaganda, that the "deep-state" exists, and that big tech is their crony-corporate arms and legs.

[ConservativeDude]

unbeleivable that virtually none of the BOD members own stock

[Jumper]

The CIA and NSA along with their political masters the DNC are not going to lose control of one of their most valuable intelligence tools. Musk knows he has to deal in the smokey backrooms.

[gspurlock]

This is not a “national security risk”, it is a “deep state security risk”, We the People are their enemy. They know it and now, so do we.

[ridesthemiles]

KEY WORDS:

TO CONTROL PUBLIC OPINION........

Created under Obama.....

[Tench_Coxe]

"They willfully admit that open and uncensored information is adverse to the interests of the intelligence state and therefore too dangerous to permit. They specifically argue, if the modern system created by the partnership between the U.S. government and Big Tech is not retained, the national security of the United States is compromised."

All the more reason to break the mold. Also begs the question when these jokers prattle about "our democracy". What is described above does not resemble anything like a democracy.

[SeekAndFind]

RE: unbeleivable that virtually none of the BOD members own stock

Here’s an interesting question — How many percent of BOD’s in other public companies hold stock in the company?

This non-ownership of stocks could not be as uncommon as we believe.

[WWG1WWA]

“If the people find out what we’ve done, we’ll all hang from nooses.” Hillary Clinton

[No Party Affiliation]

“Elon Musk, . . . believes in anthropogenic climate change”

I do not think that that is either given or proven. He is very much a technologist and innovator and saw a market. With massive underwriting by the government he has made zillions going along with the alternative energy industry. All things considered he seems too smart to go along with an unproven theory but is willing to play along to enrich himself beyond the dreams of avarice.

[EQAndyBuzz]

I have an idea. All “Public” social media companies “must” have a separate forum for political discourse. Which means, Twitter would have to create a forum called “political discourse” which is only monitored for dangerous speech, such as saying some figure should be killed. Other than that, everything in that forum goes. Politicians, PACS, or others who want to run political ads can do it there.

If you have no interest in politics, you don’t have to go there. It’s like, if you didn’t like Rush, you can just switch stations.

It really is that simple and can be done in a month.

[joshua c]

the same former intels who said hunter’s laptop was russian disinformation?

[Chewbarkah]

This statement from the letter is noteworthy (and drags up my usual ton of rhetorical questions):

“U.S. technology platforms have already taken concrete steps to shine a light on Russia’s actions to
brutalize Ukraine.”

Why should US technology platforms be in the business of “shining a light” on one side or the other? Do they not enjoy immunity for content precisely by claiming to be platform providers only?

Who within those technology companies gets to decide who/what is righteous and who/what is not? Whence does this power derive? Who elected them? Who gives them their orders? Who oversees any of that?

Does this power to censor and propagandize apply to every issue? What about political issues where national security plays no obvious role? What if an America’s administration or national security apparatus wants a war for corrupt reasons — do the technology companies get in line and censor opposing views?

The rogues who signed the letter act as if their interests and judgment are superior to those of the American People, who do not have even the right to be informed in an open society. Individuals like these threaten democracy and our Republic. I guess I couldn’t write that on Twitter.

[ProudGOP]

I have an idea. All “Public” social media companies “must” have a separate forum for political discourse.

LOL. More rules to ignore or apply non-uniformly

[falcon99]

“..lose control of one of their most valuable intelligence tools”

I think it more accurate to say “population control tools” rather than intelligence tools.

[RinaseaofDs]

In court, this will hold zero water. Twitter is a publicly traded company. The CIA can build whatever they want but unless they buyout the shareholders, the CIA has zero votes.

This is smoke. This is the left grasping at the last straw they have. DeSantis’ move is brilliant, because he has standing as a SHAREHOLDER via the pension fund.

[seowulf]

Former Obama era intelligence officials, those who helped construct, organize and assemble the public-private partnership between intelligence data networks and supported social media companies

Isn't Fascism wonderful we they do it?

[DesertRhino]

“Former Obama era intelligence officials, those who helped construct, organize and assemble the public-private partnership between intelligence data networks and supported social media companies, have written a letter to congress warning that any effort to break up Big Tech (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google, Microsoft, etc.) would be catastrophic for the national security system they have created.

Citing the information control mechanisms they assembled, vis-a-vis the ability of social media networks to control and approve what is available for the public to read and review, the intelligence officials declare that any effort to break up the private side of the intel/tech partnership will only result in less ability of the intelligence apparatus to control public opinion.”

Effing criminals in our “National Security apparatus”. There is absolutely no basis in law and many against them approving what is in the public square and controlling public opinion. There was a time the Stasi never dreamed people would be freely strolling the halls of their HQ and looking into their files. Our SOBs in McClean would do well to remember that.

[Wuli]

De Sabntis read my posts here on this topic. LOL

Such a suit is exactly what I said, on day one, that the poison pill could attract, and exectly for the reason De Santis suggests. To offer additional shares “at a discount” to up the shares of some other large shareholders that might oppose Musk, IS going against the fifuciary responsibility to ALL shareholders. The poison pill cares not one Twit for the sharehaolders, it is merely trying to protecct the incumbency of the Twitter board and managment.