California Democrats are fleeing Elon Musk’s X platform in mass exodus, claiming concerns over “misinformation” while conveniently ignoring similar issues on their preferred liberal-friendly platforms. Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas leads this politically charged departure as 58 Democrat lawmakers abandon the platform that many conservatives use to share uncensored news.
At a glance:
• 58 California Assembly Democrats have stopped using their official X accounts, claiming concerns over misinformation and hate speech
• Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas described this as one of the largest departures of elected representatives from X, stating taxpayer resources shouldn’t go to the platform
• Lawmakers will continue using other platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, despite similar issues with misinformation
• Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher criticized the decision as hypocritical, pointing out inconsistency in Democrats’ stance
• The move comes after Musk’s acquisition of Twitter (now X) in 2022 and his open support for President Trump
Democrats Flee Free Speech Platform
California Democrats have launched what appears to be a politically motivated exodus from Elon Musk’s X platform, with 58 Assembly members abandoning their official accounts under the guise of combating “misinformation.” Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, who led the charge, claimed this represents one of the largest departures of elected officials from any social media platform in recent history.
The timing coincides with Musk’s vocal support for President Trump and efforts to reduce wasteful government spending, suggesting political motives beyond stated concerns. Despite similar issues existing on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, Democrats have specifically targeted X while keeping their accounts active on these other platforms.
If you are not willing to be transparent. If you are not willing to handle disagreement. If you are not willing to answer to the people. You don’t deserve to be an elected official. Period.
And, leaving X didn’t work out to well for Gascón. Just saying. https://t.co/QQ3t2FIHvu
— jonathanhatami (@jonathanhatami) March 27, 2025
Republican Response to Democrat Hypocrisy
Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher swiftly criticized the mass departure as hypocritical and misguided. Gallagher pointed out that while Democrats claim to be concerned about misinformation, they continue using other platforms with similar or worse issues, revealing what appears to be partisan motivation rather than genuine concern for information integrity.
Rivas’s claim that “democracy depends on impartial information, not the shifting whims of one billionaire” rings hollow when considering Democrats’ continued use of platforms owned by other billionaires with questionable content policies. Democrats insist they’re not deleting accounts but merely abandoning them to prevent impersonation, as usernames can be claimed after 30 days of inactivity.
X’s policy clearly states: “You may not directly attack other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, caste, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or serious disease.” The platform also employs Community Notes, a user-driven feature that contextualizes potentially misleading posts with additional information.
Free Speech Under Fire in California
The exodus comes after X won a significant legal victory against California, partially blocking a state law requiring social media platforms to publish their policies on disinformation. The court ruled in favor of X on First Amendment grounds, suggesting this latest move by Democrats could be retaliation for challenging government overreach.
Despite lower usage compared to some platforms, X remains a crucial resource for news and public discourse, with data showing it’s the ninth most used social media platform globally with approximately 104 million users in the United States. Many Americans, particularly conservatives, rely on X for uncensored news and information that mainstream platforms increasingly suppress.
This latest move appears to be part of a broader pattern of Democratic lawmakers attempting to control the flow of information rather than allowing voters to decide for themselves which sources to trust. By abandoning X while embracing platforms with documented censorship of conservative viewpoints, California Democrats have revealed their preference for controlled narratives over free speech.
