Garry Tan, CEO of Y Combinator, has publicly accused Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA) of defending an individual who allegedly incites violence and made controversial statements regarding the September 11th attacks. In a recent tweet, Tan stated, "Let's see... Ro Khanna is defending someone who incites murder, 'let the streets soak in their red-capitalist blood,' and who said America deserved 9/11." Tan further asserted that Khanna, alongside Saikat Chakrabarti, is "unfit for any job" and should lose his congressional seat to challenger Ethan Agarwal.
The inflammatory quotes cited by Tan are attributed to political commentator Hasan Piker. Piker has faced criticism for remarks such as telling followers to "kill" and "murder" people "in the streets" and stating, "America deserved 9/11," according to a letter from Congressman Ritchie Torres to Twitch and Amazon executives. These statements have drawn widespread condemnation, with Torres describing Piker as an "apologist" for both 9/11 and the October 7th attacks.
While Tan's tweet directly links Khanna to Piker's defense, the exact nature or public record of Khanna's defense of Piker was not immediately apparent in search results. Ro Khanna, a prominent figure in Silicon Valley politics, has previously drawn criticism from some tech leaders, including Tan, for his support of a proposed California wealth tax. Tan has been a vocal critic of Khanna's policies, arguing they could harm California's startup ecosystem.
The tweet also highlights the ongoing congressional race in California's 17th district, where Ethan Agarwal is challenging incumbent Ro Khanna. Agarwal, a tech founder, has garnered support from several tech heavyweights, including Tan, who oppose Khanna's progressive stances, particularly on economic issues like the wealth tax. Saikat Chakrabarti, mentioned in Tan's tweet, is known for his role as a former chief of staff to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and co-founder of Justice Democrats. His inclusion in Tan's criticism suggests a broader ideological alignment that Tan opposes.
Garry Tan himself has been involved in controversy regarding his social media conduct. In early 2024, Tan apologized for a now-deleted tweet where he used aggressive language towards several San Francisco supervisors, mimicking rap lyrics and suggesting they could "die slow." This incident led to police reports being filed by some of the targeted officials, who viewed the remarks as incitement to violence.
