Mar 12, 2019

Elon Musk accuses SEC of "unconstitutional power grab" over tweets

Rebecca Falconer

Photo: Robyn Beck-Pool/Getty Images

Elon Musk's lawyers told a federal judge Monday the Tesla CEO should not be held in contempt of court for tweets the Securities and Exchange Commission says violated a settlement agreement.

Details: The SEC asked last month for Musk to be held in contempt for publishing "inaccurate" information on Twitter about Tesla. The complaint relates to a February 19 tweet by Musk that Tesla would build 500,000 cars in 2019. He posted another tweet soon after clarifying that claim, saying Tesla would build at an annual rate of 500,000 cars by the end of 2019 but it would only build 400,000 cars this year.

What they're saying: In a response filing, Musk's lawyers said the SEC was trying to "trample on Musk's First Amendment rights" in an "unconstitutional power grab" that "smacks of retaliation and censorship" for saying in a "60 Minutes" interview he had no respect for the regulator. In a sworn declaration, Musk added he had "dramatically decreased" the amount he had tweeted about Tesla to ensure he complied with the settlement.

Go deeper: The Elon Musk vs. SEC battle has flared up again

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Dave Lawler

Boris Johnson moved to intensive care as coronavirus symptoms worsen

Photo: Peter Summers/Getty Images

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been taken to the intensive care unit of St. Thomas Hospital in London due to increasingly severe coronavirus symptoms.

The backdrop: Johnson was admitted to the hospital on Sunday for what Downing Street called "routine tests" because his condition had not improved ten days after he tested positive for the virus. His condition has since "worsened," according to a statement, and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will step into his place "where necessary."

Go deeperArrow19 mins ago - World
Axios

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 3 p.m. ET: 1,309,439 — Total deaths: 73,703 — Total recoveries: 273,546 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 3 p.m. ET: 352,546 — Total deaths: 10,389 — Total recoveries: 18,953 — Map.
  3. 2020 update: Wisconsin governor issues executive order to delay in-person primary voting until June.
  4. Public health latest: Asymptomatic children could play important role in coronavirus spread, new data from the CDC shows.
  5. States' latest: West coast states send ventilators to New York and other states experiencing a more immediate need — Data suggests coronavirus curve may be flattening in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
  6. Jobs latest: Unemployment could already be at 13% "and moving higher," per former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen.
  7. What should I do? Pets, moving and personal health. Answers about the virus from Axios experts — What to know about social distancing — Q&A: Minimizing your coronavirus risk.
  8. Other resources: CDC on how to avoid the virus, what to do if you get it.

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Keep ReadingArrowUpdated 29 mins ago - Politics & Policy
Axios

Wisconsin governor issues order to delay in-person primary voting until June

Tony Evers. Photo: Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) issued an executive order Monday delaying in-person voting for the state's primary election — currently scheduled for Tuesday — until June 9.

Why it matters: Wisconsin was slated to be the only state to vote on Tuesday amid the coronavirus pandemic, despite having a stay-at-home order in place.

Go deeperArrow2 hours ago - Health