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Joaquin Castro defends decision to tweet names of Trump donors

‘It’s publicly reported info printed in newspapers routinely.’

Photo of Tiffanie Drayton

Tiffanie Drayton

joaquin castro trump donors tweet

Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Tx.) is under fire for posting the names of President Donald Trump’s donors on Twitter.

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Castro, who is the brother of presidential candidate Julián Castro, used his Twitter account to publish the names of 44 Texas residents–and their businesses–who donated $2,700 or more to the Trump reelection campaign, according to the Hill.

“Their contributions are fueling a campaign of hate that labels Hispanic immigrants as ‘invaders’,” Castro tweeted, along with the list of names. Many, including Castro, have blamed the Trump’s rhetoric on immigration for the mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, which has claimed the lives of 22 people.

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Castro later defended his decision to post the list.

“The graphic didn’t contain “private or personal info — no addresses or phone #, etc,” he wrote. “It’s publicly reported info printed in newspapers routinely from the @nyt to the @dcexaminer. You know that.”

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The backlash to Castro’s initial tweet was immediate. Some are calling on Twitter to take action against Castro, claiming that he violated the platform’s private information policy, which prohibits doxing.

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“It’s not just conservatives who know that what Joaquin Castro did is dangerous, but anyone who follows politics. It’s irresponsible and should be condemned,” Zach Parkinson tweeted.

https://twitter.com/realPolitiDiva/status/1158852580606394368

https://twitter.com/1ManPlusGod/status/1158858855398424576

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Yet, others are defending him and pointing out that the information is already public. Candidates are required to publicly publish the names of donors who contribute more than $200 or more in the Federal Election Commission (FEC)  filings, which is accessible online.

“It’s public records you dummies. Anyone can see it,” one user wrote.

https://twitter.com/IsisReba/status/1158858563751686149

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https://twitter.com/NelStamp/status/1158861464360378376

https://twitter.com/franmalayeri/status/1158863110230478848

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https://twitter.com/ZForZaraThustra/status/1158859976493768705

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H/T the Hill

 
The Daily Dot