Mitt Romney Admits To Having French Twitter Alter Ego, ‘Pierre Delecto’

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) admitted to using a fake Twitter account under the pseudonym “Pierre Delecto” to monitor online politics and defend himself.

In a lengthy profile of the Utah Senator by the Atlantic‘s McKay Coppins, Romney said he uses a secret Twitter lurker account.

“I won’t give you the name of it,” he told Coppins, but “I’m following 668 people.”

He then showed him some of the big-name accounts he follows, including journalists, late-night comedians and athletes. His lurker account does not follow President Donald Trump, because “he tweets so much.”

After the profile was published, Slate launched an investigation to find Romney’s account, ultimately identifying a Twitter user “Pierre Delecto” as matching the description. Coppins called Romney Sunday night to confirm, and the senator’s only response was “C’est moi.” (Meaning “it’s me” in French).

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The account, identified as @qaws9876, has since been made private. However, some of his posts are still visible via screenshots other users took.

Bloomberg News reporter Jennifer Jacobs tweeted, “Pierre Delecto, likely Mitt Romney’s ghost account, follows about 700 people, including politicians and operatives. Also political reporters, including @SteveTDennis and me”

She attached a screenshot of one of Pierre’s replies to Steve Dennis in which he defended Romney by adding his name to a list of GOP senators “sticking up for Richard Burr.”

Sen. Richard Burr (R-North Carolina) was criticized by GOP members for subpoenaing Donald Trump Jr. as part of the Intelligence Committee’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Pierre Delecto, likely Mitt Romney’s ghost account, follows about 700 people, including politicians and operatives. Also political reporters, including @StevenTDennis and me.https://t.co/I714tZ29j0 pic.twitter.com/btdv0W5zpB

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) October 21, 2019

Ask the Truth News added a couple other screenshots to the mix, affirming his opposition to Trump. The first screenshot shows Pierre defending Romney’s strategy to conservative, anti-Trump writer Jennifer Rubin. In the second image, Pierre wrote that Romney was the “Only Republican to hit Trump on Meuller [Mueller] report, only one to hit Trump on character time and again..” The last screenshot shows him saying “loyal to principle trumps loyalty to party or person.”

In order to defend himself against the growing criticisms, Sen. Mitt Romney apparently operates an anonymous Twitter account under the name Pierre Delecto.
Why is he using a fake account to defend himself rather than using his original identity? #PierreDelecto pic.twitter.com/lBUs0cywbd

— Ask The Truth (@AskTheTruthNews) October 21, 2019

One America News host Jack Posobiec posted a video scrolling through Pierre’s timeline.

Scroll of Pierre Delecto TL pic.twitter.com/67oJ4KEZR3

— Jack Posobiec ?? (@JackPosobiec) October 21, 2019

Twitter jumped at the opportunity to speculate and joke about frenchman Pierre Delecto.

I think people on both sides of the aisle can admit that Pierre Delecto is an amazing fake twitter name.

— Spike Eskin (@SpikeEskin) October 20, 2019

Total speculation: it’s a pun based on “in pari delicto.” “In pari” is replaced by “Pierre” because Romney did his mission in France and speaks French, and “delicto” (offense) is replaced with “delecto” (delight).

This explanation is also super dorky, and thus likely correct. https://t.co/HY31GsHVkf

— Max Kennerly (@MaxKennerly) October 21, 2019

Pari delicto, meaning “equal fault” in Latin, is a legal term used to deem that two people or entities are equally at fault.