Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Elon Musk and Tesla accuse regulators of trying to 'chill' free speech rights

Elon Musk and Tesla accuse regulators of trying to 'chill' free speech rights

A legal letter accuses government regulators of hounding the company and its outspoken chief executive Elon Musk as Tesla faces legal challenges on many fronts.

Elon Musk and Tesla have escalated their war of words with US regulators, accusing them of an "endless investigation" to curb the tycoon's right to free speech.

The allegations surfaced in a lawyer's letter to US District Judge Alison Nathan, who presided over a 2018 Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) settlement stemming from Musk's tweet about a potential buyout of Tesla.

Alex Spiro wrote: "The SEC seems to be targeting Mr Musk and Tesla for unrelenting investigation largely because Mr Musk remains an outspoken critic of the government; the SEC's outsized efforts seem calculated to chill his exercise of First Amendment rights."

The letter was written against a backdrop of legal trouble for Tesla.

Musk dances onstage during an event for Tesla Model 3 cars


It disclosed earlier this month that it had received a subpoena from the SEC about its compliance with the 2018 settlement.

Then, Musk was found to have fallen foul of market rules when he tweeted that he had "funding secured" to potentially take his electric car company private at $420 per share.

In reality, a buyout was not close.

Tesla and Musk settled by agreeing to each pay $20m in civil fines and to let Tesla lawyers vet some of Musk's communications in advance, including tweets that could affect Tesla's stock price.

Musk also gave up Tesla's chairmanship.

The latest subpoena was issued late last year after Musk polled his Twitter followers on whether he should sell 10% of his Tesla stake, triggering a sell-off.

The Tesla factory in Fremont, California


The lawyer's letter on behalf of Musk and Tesla was filed eight days after California's department of fair employment and housing sued Tesla over allegations by black workers that it tolerated racial discrimination at its Fremont, California, plant.

Tesla, which described that lawsuit as "misguided", is also trying to reduce or throw out a $137m jury award to a black former elevator operator who was allegedly subjected to a hostile work environment at the factory.

Another body, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said on Thursday that it had opened an investigation into Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles after receiving complaints about unexpected braking tied to its Autopilot system.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×