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THREAD: This week, @ShaunKing has sent me multiple emails, with several prominent Black lawyers attached, threatening legal action if I didn't immediately retract previous posts I've made about him. I personally find this to be a form of intimidation as a Black journalist.
As such, after hearing from @ShaunKing that my posts were not accurate (although he only referenced one tweet specifically made), I recant any previous posts made about him to avoid legal troubles. Sorry for the inconvenience.
@ShaunKing cc'ed the following attorneys via email India Sneed, Benjamin Crump, and Ron Sullivan. He claims my tweets are "damaging to [his] personal and professional character."
I want other journalists and activists critiquing @ShaunKing to be aware of this in the event that they will be found online and emailed similar information.
To be clear, the post in question was made in June of 2018 and was removed back then. Shaun King or someone from his team screenshotted the old post (as you can see the profile picture isn't the same) as the current one I have had for months now.
This sudden resurfacing of old social media posts from Black journalists and activists who have criticized him in the past comes a week after news came out that he wrongfully accused a man in the Jazmine Barnes shooting.
abc13.com/family-of-wron…
abc13.com/family-of-wron…
If any major media outlet wants to speak to me in regards to this, I am available. As for everyone else, listen carefully to those within the Black activism/media community, especially Black women and LGBTQ, on what they have to say. A lot will be told, and I am here for it.
Just in case it wasn't obvious why I recanted -- it was not because I didn't have any reasonable cause to support my claim, but because I personally wanted to avoid the intimidation and unnecessary court drama over some dumb ass tweets.
Unlike Shaun King who is using four Black attorneys to threaten legal action against young Black queer journalists and activists in comparison to larger predominately white institutions such as Breitbart, The Daily Beast, and Complex -- we can't afford such a fight back.
The dispute in regards to the one 6-month old tweet from myself that he calls "fabricated" is based on semantics. As you can see in this video made in June 2018 from King, it is framed as an ad paid for by a PAC. I found it hard to believe that he didn't get paid for it. 
Nonetheless, he was bent on semantics. In my old tweet, I said "for every view he gets on Facebook, he profits from commercial ads that appear on the page" he took that as implying that he makes money from Facebook ads. See the trap in that?
He never answered whether or not he receives money from ads overall period -- those that might appear on his videos from political PACs or those he now place for support of The North Star project. It's a legitimate critique.
I recanted the post not because I didn't believe it didn't have merit or have arguable backing -- but because as a 27-year-old Black gay journalist, I refuse to put myself in an unnecessary court battle over something that takes me away from my work.
Shaun King is aware of his influence and power. Black queer people have witnessed a history of white men with power use their platforms to silence us with clout and money. I did what was best for my safety and security. But I wanted to be clear that you all understood.
The anti-Blackness is in the details. Why go after young Black writers and activists and not legally dispute this? complex.com/life/2016/01/s…
Or this: tabletmag.com/jewish-news-an…
Or this: thedailybeast.com/goldie-taylorw…
Many of the conversations on social media about King often stems from these popular articles -- and yet to my knowledge, he hasn't legally challenged these news outlets, but somehow those who echo these sentiments.
I stand in solidarity with @ClarissaMBrooks, a fellow young Black queer writer who was also subjected to ongoing harassment by King's over 1 million plus followers on various platforms that include Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
I have received death threats, homophobic and colorist insults and hundreds of comments I've had to block each time King posted these messages across all of his platforms. It felt like a man siccing a pack of trolls on Black young bodies.
That being said, I'm disappointed that Benjamin Crump would waste time from other important cases that involve Black youth to legally back a man who felt that it mature to pretty much draw more attention to old tweets he has yet to show how it harmed him as a public figure.
Have yet to see how my tweet costed Shaun King a job, book deal, or any other project he continues to expand on. He's a public figure. Legally, he would have to prove how my actions actually gave him damage.
Show the receipts. Show how any of these individual Black queer writers costed you a job and professional reputation. Shaun King has over 1 Million followers and yet is acting like one sole person is responsible for his downfall.
Just going to leave this here. This was written in 2015. medium.com/@JT30/an-open-…
