in

Romney confirms he's behind anonymous 'Pierre Delecto' Twitter account – NBC News, NBC News

Romney confirms he's behind anonymous 'Pierre Delecto' Twitter account – NBC News, NBC News


Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, confirmed late Sunday that he is behind an anonymous Twitter account under the pseudonym “Pierre Delecto” that he’s used to be a “lurker” on social media for most of the past decade.

The account was first revealed bySlate’s Ashley Feinberg, who was also responsiblein 2017 for revealingformer FBI Director James Comey’s anonymous account.

The trail leading to Romney’s secret account began earlier Sunday whenThe Atlanticpublished a profile of Romney at a time when he is one of a few prominent Republicans to be critical of President Donald Trump’s actions on Ukraine that led House Democrats to open animpeachment inquiry.

Romney was asked about one Trump tweet in particular where the president attached the hashtag “IMPEACHMITTROMNEY,” to which the 2012 Republican presidential nominee said , “That’s kind of what he does,” and explained that he uses a secret Twitter account to follow politics.

“What do they call me, a lurker?” Romney said, declining to name the account but saying that he followed fewer than 700 accounts. That sparked Feinberg’s interest, who went through the Twitter accounts of some of Romney’s relatives for clues. She found that Romney’s eldest grandchild, Allie Romney Critchlow, had just 481 followers, making the account ripe for a quick investigation.

Let our news meet your inbox. The news and stories that matters, delivered weekday mornings.

It’s through her account that Feinberg found a user who piqued her attention – a person under the handle@ qaws 9876. The account was public and followed about the same number of accounts Romney had mentioned to The Atlantic. It followed all of the Romney family, a number of Romney-related 2012 campaign accounts and political reporters from the Romney 2012 beat, among others that seemed right for Romney to have an interest in following.

The account, which went under the username “Pierre Delecto,” was public and showed only a handful of tweets, most in recent months. The tweets were often replies to prominent users criticizing the senator.

In May, Romney responded to Washington Post conservative blogger Jennifer Rubin, who wrote that Romney’s strategy was “non-confrontation verging on spinelessness.”

“Jennifer, you need to take a breath,” Delecto replied. “Maybe you can then acknowledge the people who agree with you in large measure even if not in every measure.”

Romney also liked a number of tweets that were strongly critical of Trump, including one supporting the use of the 25 th Amendment in response to the president’s recent decisions on Syria and Turkey. Romney also liked searing criticism of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

The account was made private late Sunday evening. Soon after, RomneytoldThe Atlantic’s McKay Coppins, who authored the profile of him, that he was in fact behind the “Pierre Delecto “account. “C’est moi,” he told Coppins.

Reached by NBC News, a Romney spokeswoman pointed to Coppins’(tweet) .

In an interview with “Axios on HBO” that aired Sunday, Romney said of Trump asking China to probe former Vice President Joe Biden: “We certainly can’t have presidents asking foreign countries to provide something of political value.”

“That is, after all, against the law, “he added.

On Trump’s personal life, Romney said the president” has elements, I’m sure, of honor in his life. “

“And there’s things that I think are not honorable. And I mention that because of the payment to a porn star for sexual relations outside of marriage,” he added of the pre – 2016 election payoff to Stormy Daniels, who alleged an affair with Trump that the president has denied.

“Look, I’m one of those who believes that we have a responsibility to be honorable and faithful to o ur wives. “

Image: Allan SmithAllan Smith

Allan Smith is a political reporter for NBC News.

Frank Thorp V

contributed.

Brave Browser
Read More
Payeer

What do you think?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings

Authorities search for missing West Point cadet – USA TODAY, USA Today

Authorities search for missing West Point cadet – USA TODAY, USA Today

Harry Styles stalker: Homeless man told to keep away from star – BBC News, BBC News

Harry Styles stalker: Homeless man told to keep away from star – BBC News, BBC News