Tucker Carlson broke Fox News' Twitter blackout that was ordered for him to post a statement about assault allegations
- Tucker Carlson appeared to break a Fox News Twitter blackout to defend himself from assault allegations.
- The Twitter blackout was reportedly instituted as a form of protest against Twitter's response to tweets containing Carlson's address.
- On Saturday, Juan Manuel Granados accused Carlson of assaulting him at a country club in Virginia.
Fox News has instituted a Twitter blackout across the company, reportedly in response to threats to host Tucker Carlson, but apparently the blackout doesn't apply to Carlson himself.
Despite orders emailed to the entire company instructing employees not to tweet, previously reported by Business Insider, Carlson took to Twitter Sunday evening to defend himself against blowout allegations of assault from Michael Avenatti's new client Juan Manuel Granados.
Breaking the blackout, Carlson wrote, "Last month one of my children was attacked by a stranger at dinner. For her sake, I was hoping to keep the incident private. It's now being politicized by the Left. Here's what happened."
Attached to the post was a lengthy statement providing Tucker Carlson's own account of a dispute at Farmington Country Club in Charlottesville, Virginia. Carlson denied personally assaulting Granados.
Breaking a blackout made for him
Carlson's tweet notably went against a documented Twitter blackout that has been in place at the network for multiple days, reportedly ordered because Carlson's own address was leaked.
In the email obtained by Business Insider, Fox News managing editor Greg Wilson told the entire digital team, approximately 140 people, to "please refrain from tweeting out our content from either section accounts or your own accounts until further notice."
A Fox News source cited by a Tribune Media's Scott Gustin reportedly said the decision came from "the highest level" of the company and was a form of protest against Twitter's response to tweets containing Carlson's address. Gustin said that it's believed that Twitter advised Fox News to submit ticket request rather than immediately deleting tweets with Carlson's address.
A Fox News source told Mediaite: "[This] is a conscious decision in light of what was done to Tucker."
On Wednesday, a group of approximately 20 protesters from Smash Racism DC reportedly showed up at Carlson's home after his address was leaked on Twitter. According to a report from The Washington Post, protesters blew bull-horns, carried signs with Carlson's address, and mentioned wanting to "bring a pipe bomb" to the house.
Until Sunday, November 11, the last time Tucker Carlson or Fox News had tweeted was November 8. As of Sunday, @FoxNews still remained silent.
Playing defense
The Sunday tweet came as a response to Carlson's other major controversy from the weekend - assault allegations brought forth by Michael Avenatti's latest client Juan Manuel Granados.
On Saturday, Avenatti tweeted video that appeared to show Carlson screaming "get the fuck out" at another patron of a Virginia country club. Avenatti claimed that "Carlson and/or members of his inner circle" assaulted Granados.
In response to an inquiry from Business Insider Saturday, Fox News sent the same statement that Carlson would eventually post, where Carlson denied personally assaulting Granados. Carlson claims that Granados called his daughter a "fucking whore" among other slurs and that his own son then dumped a glass of wine on Granados' head.
Since Carlson's initial response, Granados published his own lengthy response in which he denied any name calling and alleged Carlson made threats of violence.
Granados said he planned to bring charges against Carlson, his son, and another man present at the incident.