A group of House Republicans on Friday called on FBI Director Kash Patel to investigate acts of domestic terrorism committed by the “radical Left” against Tesla owners and dealerships – and whether a firebrand Texas congresswoman is partly responsible for inciting the attacks.
Rep. Andy Biggs, Arizona Republican, spearheaded a letter with six other GOP lawmakers requesting that Mr. Patel “open an inquiry into those who are fomenting, inciting and engaging in domestic terrorism, including recent calls to action by Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett.”
The Washington Times reached out to the second-term Democrat for comment.
Republicans say that Ms. Crockett “has joined those who are fomenting the violence by encouraging her followers to ‘take down’ Elon Musk and Tesla.”
The Republican lawmakers note that“Included in the statutory definition of domestic terrorism are activities that ‘involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State, such as violence or threatening or intimidating.”
The lawmakers say that activities that appear to be intended to “intimidate or coerce a civilian population or to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion are also acts of domestic terrorism.”
They list several alleged recent criminal activities including the use of eight Molotov cocktails against a Tesla dealership in Oregon, an attempt to burn a Tesla car in Colorado and vandalizing a Tesla and charging stations in South Carolina.
“Of course, these despicable acts are growing in an organized way to intimidate ordinary citizens who simply own a car manufactured by Tesla,” they said. “Those behind this conspiracy of violence are now trying to dox Tesla owners and are encouraging vandalism and violence.”
The letter was co-signed by Reps. Eli Crane of Arizona, Eric Burlison of Missouri, Keith Self of Texas, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, Andy Ogles of Tennessee, Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Eli Crane of Arizona.
Ms. Crockett on Thursday joined the nationwide protest with an online video post in which she demanded that Mr. Musk be “taken down.”
The Texas Democrat, who sits on the House Department of Government Efficiency Subcommittee, made her remarks to the “Tesla Takedown” movement.
That group describes itself as a “peaceful protest movement” and urges investors to dump Tesla stock.
“On March 29 it’s my birthday,” she said. “All I want to see happen on my birthday is for Elon to be taken down.”
She added, though, that her comments are not intended to incite real violence.
“The things that we’re fighting for — we are fighting for our country, we are fighting for democracy, we’re fighting for our freedom — and when I say fighting, I am saying that figuratively,” she said. “Obviously everything that I am promoting is nonviolent and so definitely don’t want anyone to take that word literal in any way.”
But Republicans said she and others “encouraged these acts in order to intimidate the head of [the Department of Government Efficiency], Elon Musk, and influence the policies of the Trump Administration. These incitements appear to violate the law.”
“The efforts to encourage violence and vandalism cross the line of civil protest and have morphed into an organized effort to promote violence. We urge you to investigate and to pursue an inquiry into the domestic terrorists and those that are inciting this violence,” the GOP lawmakers wrote.
Three people accused of damaging Tesla cars and charging stations are facing up to 20 years in prison for “domestic terrorism,” Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday.
“The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended,” Ms. Bondi said in a statement.
“Let this be a warning, If you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars,” she added.
The cases are being brought in Colorado, Oregon and South Carolina and the defendants are accused of using firearms and explosives to destroy property belonging to the Tesla car company, owned by Mr. Musk, who has been targeted in recent weeks over his role in the Trump administration.
President Trump on Friday up the ante against those who vandalize Tesla cars, reflecting on social media that those convicted of damaging or destroying the EVs— including U.S. citizens — could be sent to prisons in El Salvador.
“I look forward to watching the sick terrorist thugs get 20-year jail sentences for what they are doing to Elon Musk and Tesla,” Mr. Trump said. “Perhaps they could serve them in the prisons of El Salvador, which have become so recently famous for such lovely conditions!”
