Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been getting a lot of attention with his strong criticisms of government even as the coronavirus pandemic rages on.
But he took things a step further after he announced on May 9 that he would be moving Tesla out of California and transfer either to Texas or Nevada.
Musk’s act of pique was apparently due to Alameda County’s refusal on May 8 to allow the company to re-open with reduced capacity. Musk decided it was “the final straw.” The CEO made his announcement via a tweet response to someone who said Tesla should file a lawsuit against Alameda County.
Musk replied to the individual that Tesla would indeed be filing a lawsuit. Moving forward, he added that how well the company is treated from now on will decide whether or not manufacturing will be completely removed from the area, as opposed to just moving out the headquarters.
“Tesla is filing a lawsuit against Alameda County immediately. The unelected & ignorant ‘Interim Health Officer’ of Alameda is acting contrary to the Governor, the President, our Constitutional Freedom & just plain common sense,” said Musk.
“Frankly, this is the final straw. Tesla will now move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately. If we even retain Fremont manufacturing activity at all, it will be dependen[t] on how Tesla is treated in the future. Tesla is the last carmaker left in CA,” said the CEO.
The New York Times reported that Alameda County and six other counties in the Bay Area would be enacting public health measures that are stricter than the coronavirus guidelines laid out by Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA).
On May 8, Musk told employees that coming back to work was voluntary and that he would be “on the line personally helping wherever I can.” He added that depending on what option was available to them, those who chose not to report for work were free to avail of paid or unpaid leave.
During a town hall on May 8, Dr. Erica Pan, the Alameda County interim health officer, said that Tesla did not have a “green light” to begin operations again, reported CNBC News.
“We have not given the green light. We have been working with them looking at some of their safety plans. But no, we have not said that it is appropriate to move forward,” she said.
Replaced!