Civil attorney here. I totally agree that you cannot arrest or indict Musk without convening a grand jury and without due process (because that's dictator shit), but there is such thing as INJUNCTIVE RELIEF, which is what civil division can do to make him IMMEDIATELY STOP paying people to register and/or vote. Injunctive relief is what you do when there is IRREPARABLE HARM and when there is no adequate remedy at law. To me, this seems like the appropriate course of action. If his actions change the outcome of the election, it will be too late. That is quite literally the definition of IRREPARABLE HARM.
I do not think this raises the issue of prior restraint. Injunctive relief would involve due process for Musk but on a very expedited basis. injunctive relief is appropriately sought in situations just like this, where there is an event coming up and the person is doing something that will materially interfere or alter the outcome of said event in a way that is irreversible. If injunctive relief were sought, the matter would be brought before the court with very short (24-48hr) notice to Elon. If the court found that DOJ had a "likelihood of success" on the merits of their claim that what he is doing is illegal, the court would order that he stop paying $ to voters so that the status quo could be restored to where it was before Musk started paying money to voters. If court determines that what Musk is doing is most likely NOT illegal and that DOJ does not have a "likelihood of success" on the merits, then Musk would be able to continue paying $ to voters. This is how it works.
Musk has not actually “built a fortune” in the conventional sense. He was born wealthy and lucked without actually building much of anything. He then took over Tesla from it's original owners and may have helped the company grow for a time, but he is now driving it into the ground. SpaceX is a special case, and this company really does appear to be accomplishing things, but it seems self-evident that this is despite Elon, not because of him.
Musk is as transactional as Trump. A Trump presidency will allow billionaires to hang on to more of their money. Trump will ease the pesky restrictions that Musk hates, which is why billionaires are trying to buy this election. I sure hope we don't let them!
Vote blue up and down the ballot. Now more than ever!
I'll be celebrating Harris/Walz victory wearing this rainbow flag "We the People means EVERYONE" t-shirt in the streets 👇
Musk is vying for a cabinet position in the Trump administration, that’s fairly obvious… he wasn’t born in this country, so a run for president is off the game plan! Thanks Allison for being the voice of reason and for your research into the Musk election fuckery!!
In fairness, he and his brother DID start off by coding one of the first eYellow Pages, Zip2, sold it for roughly $300 million to Compaq's AltaVista. Elon used that money to setup eBank, X.com (later PayPal). eBay bought PayPal for $1.5 billion. Then he's rich and not smart and just tosses money down his dreamtube. He's rich enough to lose 80% of the time and still buy politicians - THAT'S rich.
Thank you again for reminding people about how justice works. Sure, it's slow and painful but it's not fascism.
The Garland bashing is a really strange phenomena. Even after all the silly complaints about him being a coward and not doing anything are all disproven, people still hate him. Wtf?
Appointing Robert Hur seemed like a mistake, but even that may have turned out to have a silver lining (as much as I liked Biden, look at Harris/Walz now).
I hope to God Garland writes a book after he retires and tells us about all the Trump stooges left in the FBI and DOJ and all the Bill Barr fuckery that prevented the DOJ moving faster on the Trump investigations. History needs that information
Also, to defend justice as a democratic institution demands that you don't just fire people because you don't like them or their possible bias, you have to have a reason for letting them go. Otherwise, it reinforces perceived partisanship.
Garland now has an excellent reason to never let Robert Hur anywhere near another Special Counsel appointment.
If the DOJ is taken over by Aileen Cannon, the special counsels she appoints won't have nearly the integrity of Hur, and Hur didn't have much integrity :)
Thank you AG. I am so over the Garland bashing. Those who publicly whine need to walk a mile in his shoes first. I admit to being frustrated at times, but I remind myself I have never done the job, so I can’t honestly say bleep.
I am glad. But as I recall, the statutory fine for violating the law is 10K (or imprisonment for five years.) so why wouldn’t Musk just risk doing something illegal? Does anyone really think that the government would incarcerate Musk?
Exactly. Every person who has ever come into contact with the crimes of Donald Trump or Donald Trump himself needs to get in front of a microphone or in front of a newspaper or something and tell what they know. They should’ve done it years ago and here we are getting screwed by misinformation. Thanks a lot, “Patriots”
They need to do this if they are truly a patriot and believer in Democracy. It is cowardly to hide behind spurious rules when the survival of the country is at stake.
Civil attorney here. I totally agree that you cannot arrest or indict Musk without convening a grand jury and without due process (because that's dictator shit), but there is such thing as INJUNCTIVE RELIEF, which is what civil division can do to make him IMMEDIATELY STOP paying people to register and/or vote. Injunctive relief is what you do when there is IRREPARABLE HARM and when there is no adequate remedy at law. To me, this seems like the appropriate course of action. If his actions change the outcome of the election, it will be too late. That is quite literally the definition of IRREPARABLE HARM.
Xoukd not irreparable harm also apply to Trump's actions thus he has to stop much of his behavior?
But for the 1st Amendment case law "prior restraint" doctrine that hails from defamation cases, I'd agree.
I do not think this raises the issue of prior restraint. Injunctive relief would involve due process for Musk but on a very expedited basis. injunctive relief is appropriately sought in situations just like this, where there is an event coming up and the person is doing something that will materially interfere or alter the outcome of said event in a way that is irreversible. If injunctive relief were sought, the matter would be brought before the court with very short (24-48hr) notice to Elon. If the court found that DOJ had a "likelihood of success" on the merits of their claim that what he is doing is illegal, the court would order that he stop paying $ to voters so that the status quo could be restored to where it was before Musk started paying money to voters. If court determines that what Musk is doing is most likely NOT illegal and that DOJ does not have a "likelihood of success" on the merits, then Musk would be able to continue paying $ to voters. This is how it works.
Maybe, but DOJ declined further action - both civil and criminal.
🙋But "civil" is NOT the DOJ? Might be wrong? 🤔
The OP was referring to the Civil Division of the US Department of Justice, headed by an Assistant Attorney General.
Both democrats and republicans are eligible for the prize.
Thank you. Great info. Hope the DoJ pursues an injunction.
Musk talks a big game, thinks "world's richest man" gives him "immunity", but watch him pull the lottery gimmick off the table quick-smart.
Musk has not actually “built a fortune” in the conventional sense. He was born wealthy and lucked without actually building much of anything. He then took over Tesla from it's original owners and may have helped the company grow for a time, but he is now driving it into the ground. SpaceX is a special case, and this company really does appear to be accomplishing things, but it seems self-evident that this is despite Elon, not because of him.
Musk is as transactional as Trump. A Trump presidency will allow billionaires to hang on to more of their money. Trump will ease the pesky restrictions that Musk hates, which is why billionaires are trying to buy this election. I sure hope we don't let them!
Vote blue up and down the ballot. Now more than ever!
I'll be celebrating Harris/Walz victory wearing this rainbow flag "We the People means EVERYONE" t-shirt in the streets 👇
teespring.com/wtpmelb
Musk is vying for a cabinet position in the Trump administration, that’s fairly obvious… he wasn’t born in this country, so a run for president is off the game plan! Thanks Allison for being the voice of reason and for your research into the Musk election fuckery!!
Is Vying for a Cabinet Position the same thing as “buying” a Cabinet Position? Asking for a friend :$
It is in the U$A where investing in a politician has the absolute best ROI.
Already did ✌🏻💙
💙💙
In fairness, he and his brother DID start off by coding one of the first eYellow Pages, Zip2, sold it for roughly $300 million to Compaq's AltaVista. Elon used that money to setup eBank, X.com (later PayPal). eBay bought PayPal for $1.5 billion. Then he's rich and not smart and just tosses money down his dreamtube. He's rich enough to lose 80% of the time and still buy politicians - THAT'S rich.
He also doesn't want to put his lucrative govt. contracts at risk pissing off the wrong people.
It could also be part of a larger investigation into Musk’s business practices…
That would be great. He needs to be stripped of his security clearance, too.
How much of use tech knowledge has he already invested in Russia? Saudi? UAE? China? ... who else has money?
Plus, Musk is an enormous federal contractor. His playing the futures market with the Donald stinks to high heaven.
Thank you again for reminding people about how justice works. Sure, it's slow and painful but it's not fascism.
The Garland bashing is a really strange phenomena. Even after all the silly complaints about him being a coward and not doing anything are all disproven, people still hate him. Wtf?
Appointing Robert Hur seemed like a mistake, but even that may have turned out to have a silver lining (as much as I liked Biden, look at Harris/Walz now).
I think many want revenge, not justice.
I hope to God Garland writes a book after he retires and tells us about all the Trump stooges left in the FBI and DOJ and all the Bill Barr fuckery that prevented the DOJ moving faster on the Trump investigations. History needs that information
Yes, this would be good.
Also, to defend justice as a democratic institution demands that you don't just fire people because you don't like them or their possible bias, you have to have a reason for letting them go. Otherwise, it reinforces perceived partisanship.
Garland now has an excellent reason to never let Robert Hur anywhere near another Special Counsel appointment.
If the DOJ is taken over by Aileen Cannon, the special counsels she appoints won't have nearly the integrity of Hur, and Hur didn't have much integrity :)
At least the DoJ is doing *something*
the DOJ has prosecuted 1426 January 6 individuals so it is not doing nothing.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/36-months-jan-6-attack-capitol-0#:~:text=Approximately%20718%20individuals%20have%20pleaded,have%20pleaded%20guilty%20to%20misdemeanors.
It hasn’t yet prosecuted one person who instigated the entire thing, so, in mind mind, it’s done nothing. 2-tiered justice is just BS.
Musk should be stopped. People were stopped handing out bottles of water to voters standing in line in the heat waiting to vote.
Imprison him, then strip him of his American citizenship, deport him back to South Africa!
FAFO Muskrat.
Can we imagine the dystopia of a Trumpistan in which Kennedy is "Minister for Quackery" and Musk is Minister for Kleptocracy"?
All that's necessary for Elon to flourish is that good men {sic} [ok paraphrase] do nothing..
I am pretty sure Musk will get out of it by NOT PAYING the “winners”
So impressive
and Elon planned to do it just before the election so there would be no time to indict him...
Thank you AG. I am so over the Garland bashing. Those who publicly whine need to walk a mile in his shoes first. I admit to being frustrated at times, but I remind myself I have never done the job, so I can’t honestly say bleep.
I am glad. But as I recall, the statutory fine for violating the law is 10K (or imprisonment for five years.) so why wouldn’t Musk just risk doing something illegal? Does anyone really think that the government would incarcerate Musk?
They won’t incarcerate trump.
Gee. 13 days before election we get some action. Mueller nowhere to be seen.
Color me unimpressed.
Hi, Mueller isn’t the USAG anymore.
No he is not. However, he knows that Trump is a puppet for Russia and says nothing. He is retired and unchained yet still keeps his mouth shut.
Exactly. Every person who has ever come into contact with the crimes of Donald Trump or Donald Trump himself needs to get in front of a microphone or in front of a newspaper or something and tell what they know. They should’ve done it years ago and here we are getting screwed by misinformation. Thanks a lot, “Patriots”
They need to do this if they are truly a patriot and believer in Democracy. It is cowardly to hide behind spurious rules when the survival of the country is at stake.