Twitter on Sunday flagged a manipulated clip posted by House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) that alters a question from activist Ady Barkan to Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
The clip is included in a video the House’s number-two Republican tweeted that accuses Democrats of fomenting and encouraging violent unrest. “No police. Mob rule. Total chaos. That’s the result of the Democrat agenda,” Scalise tweeted.
No police.
Mob rule.
Total chaos.That’s the result of the Democrat agenda.
Ask yourself: Is this what you want in your town next? ↓ pic.twitter.com/zFnrx2kjZq
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) August 30, 2020
In the initial interview, Barkan, who uses a computerized artificial voice due to his ALS, asks Biden if “we agree that we can redirect some of the funding” for police departments toward public safety and mental health services. “Yes,” Biden responds.
The clip Scalise tweeted, however, inserts the words “for police” into Barkan’s question, using the same computer-generated voice.
Biden has repeatedly come out against the movement to defund the police. Barkan, who also uses a wheelchair due to his condition, endorsed Biden in July and asked him about the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Rayshard Brooks.
Barkan called on Scalise to remove the video, tweeting “I have lost my ability to speak, but not my agency or my thoughts. You and your team have doctored my words for your own political gain. Please remove this video immediately. You owe the entire disability community an apology.”
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Twitter slaps "manipulated media" tag on video shared by Scalise that alters activist's question to Biden https://t.co/2NuQutRvov
— The Hill (@thehill) August 30, 2020
The reason you're going to get so much of this fakery – and the reason Ratcliffe will cover for Russian interference – is that the GOP is now fully committed to the understanding that they cannot win by actually getting people to buy what they're selling. https://t.co/tiL7ByMc2B
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 30, 2020
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