It’s a common occurrence for politicians and those in the spotlight to face backlash when their old social media posts resurface in an embarrassing way. Forgetting to delete a post they made when they were young, or having another post misinterpreted by the media or regular Americans is nothing new.
Now, it seems the landscape may be changing. For one, politicians are much more aware of what they share, and have shared, on social media. Some may delete previous posts or start over with brand-new accounts, leading to fewer controversial moments for politicians and celebrities.
With that, however, has come a new lane for criticism: text messages.
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Text messages: the new avenue to political backlash?
In recent weeks, politicians across the U.S. have faced criticism and backlash for text messages they’ve sent to friends, coworkers, partners and in some cases, individuals with whom they’re having an affair.
In Arizona, a congressional candidate and former sheriff reportedly threatened to send the state patrol after a woman in an effort to stop her from publicly sharing nude pictures and sexually explicit messages he had sent her.
The candidate, Mark Lamb, was in his first term as Pinal County sheriff when he allegedly issued the threat, and has since announced his candidacy for Congress, with an endorsement from President Donald Trump.
Similar text messages to a former staffer have put North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey under fire. Last month, one of Causey’s former employees spoke with The News & Observer about text messages she received from Causey that she said left her uncomfortable.
The texts include one from Causey in April 2018, in which he allegedly said, “I might jump your bones. Watch out!!!” In others, he allegedly told the woman “You’re hotter than you realize” and “Just don’t let me catch you in the room alone.”
Since the allegations surfaced, Causey has acknowledged texting the employee but said he has no memory of sending any of the comments on her appearance or expressing sexual interest.
Even more recently, Graham Platner, a Democrat who is running for the U.S. Senate in Maine, was accused of exchanging sexually explicit messages with women while he was married. New reporting over the weekend said his campaign was alerted to the messages last summer, although Platner has disputed some of the reporting.
Now, Democrats say the controversy could hurt Democratic efforts to unseat Sen. Susan Collins, who Platner is expected to face in November.
What makes text messages different?
Unlike social media posts, which can be deleted, text messages have the potential to live much longer. Sure, politicians and celebrities can delete them from their own phones, but they can’t be sure the people they sent the messages to have done the same.
And if a politician or celebrity sending the messages gives the receiver a reason to reveal them, there’s not much that can be done. It’s an issue that likely isn’t going away and could lead to more and more controversial issues for politicians, actors, influencers, and a whole host of individuals who are in the spotlight regularly.
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