Musk lawyer: Gag order would trample on free speech rights
By TOM KRISHER
AP Auto Writer
DETROIT (AP) — Elon Musk’s lawyer says a federal judge would trample on the Tesla CEO’s free speech rights if he ordered Musk to stop talking about 2018 tweets saying he had the funding to make Tesla a private company. In a court document filed Wednesday, lawyer Alex Spiro says a motion from a group of Tesla shareholders seeking a gag order doesn’t establish that Musk’s comments will prejudice the pool of jurors who may hear the case. Lawyers for the shareholders have argued that Musk is trying to influence potential jurors. They contend Musk’s 2018 tweets were written to manipulate the stock price, costing shareholders money. The suit is scheduled to come to trial next January.