Torba opens up about Parler

Gab CEO Andrew Torba posted a long thread about Parler on his page, and also on Twitter. I pasted the text below.

https://gab.com/a/posts/105681061666273218

https://twitter.com/getongab/status/1357820690964054027

Now that John Matze has been ousted by the Mercers, perhaps it's time to speak a little more freely about Parler.

Was Parler a GOP establishment attempt to subvert the work Gab has been doing for 5+ years and data mine conservatives? Good question!

When Gab first launched let's just say we were approached by some "hedge fund people" on the right who wanted to invest on one condition: stop talking about certain topics and people, change the branding, and give up control.

Obviously we didn't take the deal with the devil.

What happened to John Matze is partially why.

The CEO and Founder ousted from his own company. Should never happen, especially not in an early stage startup.

Keep your daddy's billionaire hedge fund money, Rebekah.

We don't need it.

We have The People.

Mercer did the same thing to Bannon: https://www.businessinsider.com/rebekah-mercer-cuts-ties-with-steve-bannon-2018-1

Mercer did the same thing to Milo: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/11/the-mercers-wash-their-hands-of-milo/544877/

John Matze should have seen it coming, this will be an important lesson to learn early in his career. I've spoken to him a few times and genuinely believe that he supports free speech.

We wish him well with his next adventure.