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Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman raised eyebrows on Friday by claiming that "lies" about the 2020 presidential election are not constitutionally protected.
Fetterman, a high-profile Democrat who is mulling a Senate run in 2022, slammed those who declared that his state was one of several that were "rigged" in favor of President-elect Joe Biden.
"This idea that saying that Pennsylvania was 'rigged' or that we were 'trying to steal the election,' that's a lie," Fetterman told The Hill. "And you do not have the right, that is not protected speech."
Fetterman argued that tweets by President Trump echoing the false claim should have been removed by Twitter "immediately" and insisted such action was "not de-platforming" but rather "deleting lies that are yelling 'fire' in a crowded theater when there is none."
"That is not protected speech," Fetterman doubled down. "He can talk all day about what his favorite football team is or that he's the greatest president in the history of the world, but no one -- Republican, Democrat, or whatever -- has the right to say those kind of incendiary lies."