Backed by President Trump, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Monday that the company’s factory in Fremont, California is open and has restarted production despite a stay-at-home order issued by Alameda County.
Tesla is restarting production today against Alameda County rules. I will be on the line with everyone else. If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 11, 2020
Kirsten Korosec for TechCrunch:
Musk’s move follows days of public venting on Twitter as well as a lawsuit — efforts that are all aimed at pressuring Alameda County officials to allow the company to reopen its factory.
Officials at the county, the city of Fremont, and Fremont Police Department, which has jurisdiction on this, are continuing to negotiate with Tesla, Sgt. Ray Kelly, public information officer with Alameda County Sheriff’s Department told TechCrunch.
Tesla filed a lawsuit Saturday against Alameda County seeking injunctive relief, an effort to invalidate orders that have prevented the automaker from reopening. Later that evening, Tesla issued a back to work plan, a 37-page document that outlines how it intends to restart production while keeping employees safe and preventing the potential spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus…
On Monday, [California Governor Gavin] Newsom issued support for Tesla and Musk during his daily COVID-19 briefing, saying that he believes the issue between Alameda County and the company will be resolved in the next few days.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s calls to resume production at its Fremont, California, plant.
California should let Tesla & @elonmusk open the plant, NOW. It can be done Fast & Safely!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 12, 2020
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin backed Musk on Monday, telling CNBC that California should help the company reopen its plant there amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I agree with Elon Musk. He’s one of the biggest employers and manufacturers in California, and California should prioritize doing whatever they need to do to solve those health issues so that he can open quickly and safely,” Mnuchin told CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street.”
MacDailyNews Note: Here are Musk’s other tweets on the subject:
Yes, California approved, but an unelected county official illegally overrode. Also, all other auto companies in US are approved to resume. Only Tesla has been singled out. This is super messed up!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 11, 2020
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 freedoms & just plain common sense!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 9, 2020
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 on how Tesla is treated in the future. Tesla is the last carmaker left in CA.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 9, 2020
San Joaquin County, right next door to Alameda, has been sensible & reasonable, whereas Alameda has been irrational & detached from reality. Our castings foundry and other faculties in San Joaquin have been working 24/7 this entire time with no ill effects. Same with Giga Nevada.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 9, 2020
Absolutely, please do! You should be allowed to recoup damages from the county.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 9, 2020
Exactly! Tesla knows far more about what needs to be done to be safe through our Tesla China factory experience than an (unelected) interim junior official in Alameda County.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 9, 2020
Tesla is the biggest manufacturer in California & second biggest exporter
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 9, 2020