Update (1600ET): Elon Musk confirmed comments made on Monday that he would be voting Republican in the next election, tweeting on Wednesday:
“In the past I voted Democrat, because they were (mostly) the kindness party.
“But they have become the party of division & hate, so I can no longer support them and will vote Republican,” he said, adding “Now, watch their dirty tricks campaign against me unfold …” (which we presume will include George Soros and associated tentacles).
In the past I voted Democrat, because they were (mostly) the kindness party.
But they have become the party of division & hate, so I can no longer support them and will vote Republican.
Now, watch their dirty tricks campaign against me unfold … 🍿
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 18, 2022
On Tuesday, Musk responded to a clip of a Twitter official mocking him as mentally handicapped and “special.”
Twitter exec trashing free speech & mocking people with Asperger’s …
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 18, 2022
Musk also replied to Yale medical professor Howard Forman’s assertion that because Musk has been “explicitly political,” he should “expect people to treat you as such,” adding “Which part of that is confusing to you?”
To which Musk said: “I’m not surprised at all. That was to inoculate the public. As a prominent vaccine advocate, you should understand that,” adding: “Yale is the epicenter of the woke mind virus attempting to destroy civilization.”
I’m not surprised at all. That was to inoculate the public. As a prominent vaccine advocate, you should understand that.
Yale is the epicenter of the woke mind virus attempting to destroy civilization.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 18, 2022
The gloves are off…
* * *
Twitter’s board says it plans to enforce its $44 billion buyout deal with Elon Musk, who has spent the last week making the case that the number of ‘fake/spam’ accounts is much higher than the 5% claimed by the company.
“We intend to close the transaction and enforce the merger agreement,” the board told Bloomberg Tuesday afternoon, noting that they voted earlier to unanimously approve Musk’s offer at $54.20 per share.
The proposed takeover includes a $1 billion breakup fee for each party, which Musk will have to pay if the deal falls apart due to financing issues. But Musk can’t just walk away by paying the charge.
The merger agreement includes a specific performance provision that allows Twitter to force Musk to consummate the deal, according to the filing. That could mean that, should the deal end up in court, Twitter might secure an order obligating Musk to complete the merger rather than winning monetary compensation for any violations of it. -Bloomberg
Earlier in the week, Musk said the deal was “on hold” until he gets to the bottom of how many spam bots are on the platform – suggesting at a Miami tech conference that renegotiating a lower price wouldn’t be “out of the question.”
“My offer was based on Twitter’s SEC filings being accurate,” Musk tweeted on Tuesday. adding, “this deal cannot move forward until he does.”
20% fake/spam accounts, while 4 times what Twitter claims, could be *much* higher.
My offer was based on Twitter’s SEC filings being accurate.
Yesterday, Twitter’s CEO publicly refused to show proof of <5%.
This deal cannot move forward until he does.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 17, 2022
Musk’s tweet came after Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal posted a lengthy thread about the company’s bot methodology which boiled down to ‘it’s 5% or less, and we can’t show you how we know.’
Musk replied with a poop emoji, followed by a tweet that asked: “So how do advertisers know what they’re getting for their money?”
So how do advertisers know what they’re getting for their money? This is fundamental to the financial health of Twitter.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 16, 2022
Meanwhile, Twitter filed a preliminary proxy statement with the SEC that said it’s “committed to completing the transaction on the agreed price [$54.20 per share in cash] and terms as promptly as practicable.”
via zerohedge
