A San Diego-based assemblywoman has caused a stir online after lambasting prominent entrepreneur Elon Musk in the aftermath of his decision to relocate his company Tesla from the Golden State.
In an unequivocal tweet, 48-year-old former Labor Leader Lorena Gonzalez wrote “F**k Elon Musk” - provoking a fiery debate among both her supporters and sympathizers with the billionaire businessman.
The dispute comes after Musk announced that he felt forced to relocate his company after local California officials refused to grant a dispensation to reopen his car plant amidst the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic. As he explained it in a tweet:
“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 dependent on how Tesla is treated in the future.”
Watch As The Tesla Cybertruck Launch Ends In Disaster As It Smashes Its Bulletproof Glass:A few of Gonzalez’s followers were supportive of her decision to publicly criticize Musk in such an uncompromising manner, with one Twitterer writing, “This is why I love you!!!!” in reply. The tweet itself has generated over 13,000 likes, suggesting that Gonzalez is not alone in her opinion.
However, it’s fair to say that, on Twitter at least, most of the reaction was extremely critical of Gonzalez. Several described her behavior as “classless”, suggesting that swearing at Musk may not be the best way to effect a positive outcome.
Many others suggested that the politician should be doing more to persuade Musk to stay, as Tesla is a major player in the California job market. As one respondent put it, “That's a great way to get him to stay. Glad to see you are looking out for Californians!”
Another added, “@Tesla employ over 37,000 Californians. What you're actually saying [is] 'F**k 37,000 people and their families.'"
