Tweet It Ain't So: Judge Willett Signs Off Social Media

If you're a lawyer who hasn't heard of Justice Don Willett, Texas's Twitter Laureate, then more likely than not, you're not on Twitter. And, if you're not on Twitter and are still thinking that the name sounds familiar, it is: Justice Willett was just nominated to the federal Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals by President Trump.
And while Justice Willett has a rather different approach to Twitter than President Trump, it appears that the nomination has caused him to go radio silent on the social media platform. The Twittersphere has been crushed by his rapid and silent departure. His zany remarks such as "That time I wrote 'queso' under blood type at the doctor's office" coupled against the more serious tweets focused on public education or sharing personal moments, just show his absolute perfect understanding of the platform.
Where's Willett?
As commentators have noted, while Justice Willett is awaiting confirmation, it is not likely that he will post on social media. Basically, once anyone receives a presidential appointment that requires Congressional confirmation, that person will do their best to stay out of the public eye until confirmation.
It's simple logic: the less a nominee exposes themselves to the public, the less likely they will be to endure a scandal. A Twitter typo could lead to a public relations nightmare. Accidentally liking a post could send a signal of bias. There's so much that can go wrong on social media, and avoiding it is as simple as just not logging in.
Will Willett Return to Twitter?
Unfortunately, it looks like if you missed the boat, there might not be another departure. While Justice Willett may not have deleted all his old Tweets, there may never be a return to activity. As there is very little chance that Willett won't be confirmed, this means that there is very little chance he'll be returning to Twitter. It's not out of the question, but the chances are really low if he is confirmed. Although, if he does return, he may not be as active, unless maybe he's trying to sway the Tweeter-in-Chief.
To Justice Willett, Twitter and Facebook were campaign tools. Unlike federal judges, the Texas Supreme Court justices are elected officials. Justice Willett's use of Twitter, while cute, fun, and compelling, to him, was avoiding "political malpractice."
Related Resources:
- Justice Don Willett's Best Trump-Mocking Tweets (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)
- Possible SCOTUS Justice Don Willett Does More Than Just Tweet (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)
- Famous Twitter Judge Nominated to the 5th Circuit (FindLaw's U.S. Fifth Circuit Blog)