Even though it’s only March, we may already have a frontrunner in the race for biggest sap in the U.S. Senate circa 2023.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) found his personal Twitter account suspended today after he made threatening remarks aimed at Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Specifically, Lee sent this tweet to the Japanese PM after the Japanese government refused to release U.S. Navy Lt. Ridge Alkonis from prison.:
“You’ve made your choice, I hope you’re ready for some conversations on the Senate floor that you’re not likely to enjoy. This issue isn’t going away, and neither am I.”
Alkonis is serving a three-year sentence in a Japanese prison for his role in an automobile accident that left two people dead, CNN reports:
Navy Lt. Ridge Alkonis was sentenced to three years in a Japanese prison in October for what Japanese courts deemed to be the negligent driving deaths of two Japanese citizens in May 2021. Alkonis appealed, but his sentence was upheld last month.
Alkonis has maintained that he suffered from acute mountain sickness as he was driving down from Mount Fuji with his family on May 29, 2021, and fell unconscious behind the wheel, leading to the deadly crash. An 85-year-old woman and her 54-year-old son-in-law died in the accident.
The Japanese high court did not believe Alkonis’ argument that he fell ill, and instead accused him of falling asleep at the wheel. Under those standards, Alkonis’ sentence could have been longer – under Japanese law, he could have faced up to seven years in prison, according to the Japanese government.
Lee’s tweet aimed at the Japanese Prime Minister resulted in him being suspended from Twitter, and he immediately began whining about it on his official Senate account.
Prior to Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter late last year, Lee sounded euphoric about the idea of the billionaire becoming CEO of the social media platform:
“I sometimes suffer from unfettered exuberance, especially where Elon Musk is involved… I think it’s going to be a complete game changer if, when he finally completes this transaction — and I sincerely hope that he does… I think you will see an actual fair, even playing field for people to communicate their ideas without people being shadow banned.”
Lee’s account was later reinstated, along with this note from Musk:
It remains unclear at this point who now qualifies for the title of Whiniest Bitch on Social Media, Mike Lee or Elon Musk.
