This controversy goes back to Musk’s stunt of building a submarine to rescue boys trapped in a cave in Thailand. The boys were rescued by spelunker Vernon Unsworth who criticized Musk’s effort a “publicity stunt”.
In a series of Tweets, Musk labeled Unsworth a “pedo guy”.
Musk later apologized and deleted the Tweets.
I thought this might all blow over, but no, Musk was dumb enough to resurface the issue.
On Tuesday, Musk made this Tweet:
I captured that as an image in case Musk deletes it.
Not only does Musk beg to be sued, he taunts @yoda at the same time.
Unsworth’s Lawyer, Lin Wood, Chimes In
Check the date on that Email to Musk: August 6.
Lin Wood is a prominent defamation lawyer.
It’s now nearly certain that Elon Musk will be hit with a lawsuit over his baseless claim that one of the British cave rescuers in Thailand is a pedophile.
CNN reports Lawyer: We’re ‘Finalizing’ a Libel Lawsuit Against Elon Musk Over ‘Pedo’ Tweet.
> Atlanta-based attorney L. Lin Wood, a prominent defamation lawyer, told CNN Wednesday that he is in the process of “finalizing the libel complaint” and expects to file it “in the next several days” in a Los Angeles federal court.
> Wood is representing Vernon Unsworth, an experienced spelunker who helped save 12 boys and their soccer coach from a flooded cave in Thailand last month and who was the target of the unfounded claim by Musk that he’s a “pedo.”
> Musk kicked up controversy again Tuesday when he wrote on Twitter that he thought it was “strange” he had not yet been sued by Unsworth. He also badgered a Twitter user about why his claim about Unsworth had not been investigated.
> Unsworth became the source of Musk’s ire last month after he criticized the billionaire CEO’s attempts to help with the Thai cave rescue effort by building a miniature submarine. Unsworth called Musk’s effort a “PR stunt” that had “absolutely no chance of working.”
> Musk soon shot back against Unsworth on Twitter, making the unfounded claim that he was a “pedo” or pedophile. Musk then doubled down on the claim in other tweets before deleting them. There is no indication that Musk’s allegation is true, and he provided no justification or proof to back up his claim.
> Wood, Unsworth’s attorney, said via email that his firm is “representing Mr. Unsworth pursuant to a written engagement agreement and are not providing services pro bono.”
> Musk is already facing at least five lawsuits and a Securities and Exchange Commission probe over his tweets about potentially taking his electric car company Tesla off the stock market. Musk said in a tweet last week that he was no longer pursuing a plan to privatize Tesla.
Another Hair-Raising Tweet
Even Musk supported have to be pulling their hair out by now.
I suspect this will be settled out of court for some monstrous sum, but perhaps not. Meanwhile, I wonder “when does the board get rid of this guy?”
Musk does not know how to run an auto company, or his mouth.
Disclosure: Short via a series of staggered PUTs.
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Mike “Mish” Shedlock
Im curious is Musk is a liberal democrat. It seems everything that comes out of liberal democrats these days is an allegation of patriarchy, trigger warnings, safe spaces, political correct speech, hate speech, mysogeny, pedophila, cop killers, ice baby stealers, homophobic, xenophobic, islamophobic, … blah blah blah phobic … blah blah blah isms … If that isn’t enough there are liberal democrats who support legalizing pedophilia and polygamy and shariah. I honestly think that liberal democrats and feminists have already drunk the coolaid and their mind is operating outside reality.
I think Musk should be republican according to your theory, because, see Pizzagate.
But I don’t have enough of statistical sample to say for sure.
Well, it is not like@Mish knows how to run his mouth either. Few days ago he suggested to piss on a fellow American’s grave while his family was still grieving.
I bet that Vern will lose this lawsuit. And so far this is only threat to sue. I think this is a cheap way by Vern’s lawyers to get money from Musk without going to court.
If Vern indeed sues, then judge will will have to figure out, if Musk was provoked by Vern before Musk called him “pedo”. And he was provoked. Vern suggested Musk to “put the submarine where it hurts the most”. Did Vern try to imply that Musk is gay or something among these lines? Maybe Musk should not have called Vern a “pedo”, but suggested Vern to put his **** somewhere where it is inappropriate to suggest that Vern is pedo?
Also, Vern comment was insutling not only to “the billionaire” Musk who should “have known better how to act in public”, but also ordinary SpaceX engineers who volunteered to participate so that cave rescuers would have Plan B.
What’s sad about all this, is that we have a “justice” system where pretty much everyone can, in practice, run around calling people “pedo” all they want; as they should be able to in any country even aspiring to anything resembling freedom of speech; while those who happen to be a big enough honeypot for arbitrary ambulance chasers, are somehow treated differently.
Social media has some genuine entertainment value, but when accurate synonyms for it are “taunting” and “trolling” it is never going to be much more than tabloid level pulp. Can’t believe Twitter hasn’t folded and Facebook remains a Wall Street darling…..
That’s why it’s usually a mistake to hire out of state lawyers.
They should file the complaint in state court. Not federal court. State court nine out of 12 jurors needed for a verdict; federal, unanimous jury required. Plus state courts are more generous in terms of punitive damage awards and judges are less likely to interfere with a big verdict- unlike federal court.
Is Sitka Pacific short Tesla as well?
Elon is spending too much time on Qanon boards…
As has been mentioned before.
No Musk – No Tesla Automobile company.
The board has no option but to retain Musk.
The company lives and dies by Musk’s sword.
I’ll go out on a limb here and say that Musk is under so much pressure he may well end up with a breakdown. If that becomes an issue, I’d suggest that he may be barred from participating in the companies involvement either on medical advice or regulatory.