Trump's attorney general makes serious threat to anyone who damages Teslas amid Elon Musk backlash
Topics: Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Politics, US News, News
Rhianna Benson
Featured Image Credit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Politics, US News, News
Pam Bondi has issued a stern warning against anyone thinking of taking their hostility towards Elon Musk out on any of his Tesla vehicles.
The Attorney General declared yesterday (1 Apr) that perpetrators of attacks on the electric automotive brand - including both its cars and its American dealerships - would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
Bondi's response comes after federal charges were brought against 24-year-old Cooper Frederick this week, who was found guilty of 'firebombing' a Tesla dealership in Loveland, Colorado, on 7 Mar.
He was subsequently tracked down by the FBI and arrested in Plano, Texas.
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In a minute-long video shared on X (formally Twitter) on Monday, Republican Party member Bondi warned any potential vandals against acting out of aggression towards tech-boss Musk's car brand.
She warned that these attackers would be treated as 'domestic terrorists'.
"I've made it clear – if you take part in the wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, we will find you, arrest you, and put you behind bars," Bondi began her threat.
"Let this be a warning – you can run, but you cannot hide," she continued, touching on Frederick's cross-country chase and apprehension.
Bondi revealed that Musk would be seeking 20 years in prison for the convicted criminal.
"All of these cases are a serious threat to public safety. Therefore, there will be no negotiating," she went on.
Tesla cars and their dealerships have become a subject of controversy in the US since newly sworn-in president Donald Trump announced his plans to make 53-year-old Musk one of his Department of Government Efficiency co-leads.
The inner-circle role has resulted in the pair being joined at the hip, with father-of-13 Musk having been granted the responsibility to making widespread cuts to the federal government as per his new role.
According to the Mail, his appointment to the position has resulted in a number of Tesla products being targeted by angry Democratic activists.
Violence against staff at the brand's chain of dealerships is also said to be on the rise.
41-year-old Adam Matthew Lansky was the first criminal to face charges on these grounds, after allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails at a Tesla dealership in Salem, Oregon whilst armed with a suppressed AR-15.
The attack occurred on the day of Trump's January inauguration.
A week later, 42-year-old Lucy Grace Nelson - also known as Justin Thomas Nelson - was taken into custody in Loveland after allegedly being caught attempting to light Molotov cocktails near another dealership.
As per prosecutor filings, he was found to have been in possession of a container of gasoline, bottles and wicks.
A dealership in Charleston, South Carolina was allegedly vandalised by 24-year-old Daniel Clarke-Pounder in March, who is said to have spray-painted 'f**k Trump' and 'Long Live Ukraine ' on a number of vehicles.
According to the Department of Justice, all three face charges of up to 20 years.