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EXCLUSIVE: Martin Shkreli Speaks Out On Twitter Suspension

(REUTERS/Joshua Roberts)

Alex Pfeiffer White House Correspondent
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Pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli’s crush on a liberal writer made public on Twitter was enough to get him suspended from the social media site on Sunday.

A Twitter spokesperson said in a statement, “The Twitter Rules prohibit targeted harassment, and we will take action on accounts violating those policies.”

Teen Vogue writer Lauren Duca had complained the Shkreli was harassing her by devoting his Twitter profile to his crush on her. (RELATED: Watch Martin Shkreli Smirk And Glare At House Members While Invoking Fifth Amendment Rights [VIDEO])

“How is this allowed,” Duca said. Shrkeli made his Twitter avatar an edited photo showing him in place of Duca’s husband and made a photo collage of her on a pink background his cover photo. His bio said, “I have a small crush on [Lauren Duca] (hope she doesn’t find out).”

Shkreli had previously asked Duca to go the presidential inauguration with him. Duca posted a screenshot of the private message and commented, “I would rather eat my own organs.”

A Twitter source told The Washington Post the ban is temporary as long as Shkreli appeals it and makes some required changes to his account.

Shkreli told The Daily Caller if it’s not temporary he will move to another social media site.

“It’s sort of a double standard. She has harassed me a lot, and I just kind of give it back to her, and that’s when she tells her followers to report me and what not,” Shkreli added. The pharmaceutical executive, who is currently under indictment for securities fraud, said he found it strange Duca and her followers found his “mocking of a teenage crush” harassment.

Shkreli added that he put the photo-board over the color pink to make it clear this was his intent.

“I didn’t do anything vulgar, they were all G-rated photos. It was made to be a tongue-in-check thing, and all of a sudden it became the worst thing ever,” Shkreli said.

Duca and her followers were up in arms about Shkreli’s profile. One Duca follower, author Dana Schwartz, wrote, “this is insanely fucked up.” Duca replied to Schwartz and said, “Like, that’s a picture of me and my husband. I feel sick.”

Shkreli told TheDC that Duca and her fans will “get what they want” with his suspension. He added that this could have all been settled if Duca had responded to his private message. Had Duca said she is married and that he should leave her alone, there wouldn’t have been an issue, Shkreli said. “Instead she takes my private message and blasts it out to the whole world” with a “vile comment,” he said.

Shkreli said he wasn’t surprised that in their fight he was the one to get suspended even though he believes he was more “measured.” He added the reason is that Twitter is a liberal site in his opinion. “From what I’ve heard they gave people the day off after Trump won if they needed time to cope,” he said. (RELATED: Twitter Promotes Liberal News Stories)

Shkreli said that despite Duca’s comment that she’d rather eat her own organs then be his date, he still has a half-serious crush on her. “That’s the kind of look I like believe it or not,” Shkreli said. He added, “I’ve dated Democrats before.”