Sam E. Antar is a forensic accounting consultant and the writer of White Collar Fraud. A former chief financial officer of Crazy Eddie, he investigates financial misconduct and advises law enforcement, attorneys and investors. He lectures about accounting fraud and white-collar crime.
Role at the time: Forensic accounting consultant and financial commentator
Challenged the characterization
Statement summary
Sam Antar argues that the dispute concerns TikTok's political-advertising policy and challenges Sanders's claim of deliberate suppression by billionaires.
“TikTok has prohibited paid political advertising for years. The Musk documentary distributor was cited for violating that policy. The film wasn’t banned.”
Role at the time: Forensic accounting consultant and financial commentator
Challenged the characterization
Statement summary
Sam Antar asks Sanders for evidence that billionaires ordered the suppression, after citing TikTok's ban on paid political ads, Meta's statement that No Kings was mistakenly flagged for suspicious automated activity and Meta's account of the Brazil restrictions.
“You lump three different situations together and blame billionaires for deliberately suppressing democracy. Where’s the evidence they ordered it?”
Meta took the No Kings Coalition's Instagram offline during its October 17 day of action. Meta called it an automated error, first citing posting volume and then a Claude tool's reading activity. Organizers and Democratic senators question the explanation.
TikTok suspended paid advertising for Alex Gibney's Musk documentary in messages invoking its political-ad rules, then said the account was restored after an error. Bernie Sanders calls for a fight against oligarchy; Sam E. Antar and Paul A. Szypula defend the platform.
