Below is my column in the New York Post on the increasing political violence on the left, particularly targeting Elon Musk, his companies, and his clients. There have been more arrests of people engaging in property destruction. What is most striking, however, is how Democrats have torched their core beliefs to pursue a scorched Earth campaign against Musk.
Here is the column:
In this “Age of Rage, it is common for people to become the very thing that they despise in others, jettisoning their most cherished values to strike out at those they hate.
Since the election, Democrats have shown that very self-destructive quality of rage in adopting anti-immigrant, anti-free speech, anti-labor, and even anti-environmental positions to get at Donald Trump or his supporters.
It consumes every part of a person. It is addictive, and it is contagious. What these rage addicts will not admit, however, is that they like it; they need it.
This time, they are targeting Elon Musk, whose dealerships, charging stations, and customers have been hit by political violence from the left.
While other billionaires from George Soros to Mark Zuckerberg have spent big on elections for the left, Musk is somehow uniquely evil because he gives money to Republicans and supports the Trump Administration.
This scorched Earth campaign was evident this week in New York, where democratic legislators are again moving to weaponize state laws for political purposes — just like they did with Trump.
New York state Sen. Pat Fahy (D-Albany) is pledging to bar Musk from direct sales in the state.
Notably, Fahy has been a longtime advocate of electric vehicles. The move will make it more difficult not just for Musk but other EV dealers to survive, but climate change policies be damned. Fahy and her colleagues want to get at Musk in any way they can.
Fahy explained, “No matter what we do, we’ve got to take this from Elon Musk. He’s part of an effort to go backwards.”
The move is not unique:
* The left decries political violence like January 6th but is largely silent as Teslas are set on fire and Cybertrucks are covered with graffiti. It promote boycotts and rallies with a wink at the vandals. As the violence increases around the country, the left has held protests featuring signs like “Burn a Tesla, Save Democracy.”
* Democrats have made the defense of immigration a core issue and have objected even to the use of the term “illegal” or “unlawful” to refer to those crossing the Southern border. Yet, they have attacked Musk due to his status as a naturalized citizen. He is denounced as a “foreigner” “meddling” in our government. Some questioned Musk’s loyalty because he is a naturalized American.
* Those who insist that they believe in free speech are supporting censorship and opposing Musk for restoring free speech protections on X.
* In California, labor advocates oppose expanded operations from SpaceX that would benefit workers in the state. California Coastal Commissioner Gretchen Newsom tried to block increased SpaceX launches despite their benefit for both the California economy and national security. Because he “aggressively injected himself into the presidential race,” it does not mater that this would cost money and labor opportunities. Retaliation for “hopping about the country, spewing and tweeting political falsehoods” was more important.
Still, the greatest hypocrisy may be found in the Democrats’ willingness to abandon environmental priorities for political revenge. It is a contest of virtue-signaling. Fighting for Mother Earth is fine on most days, but nothing compares to destroying Elon Musk.
Lawmakers and advocates are also pressuring pension funds to divest from Tesla while trying to force Tesla showrooms to close — at the cost of New York jobs.
Tesla is an American company making and selling cars in this country. It sells more electric vehicles in the US and New York than any other manufacturer. Yet it must now be destroyed because, unlike a Soros or a Zuckerberg, Musk’s political views are not acceptable to the left.
Tesla was allowed to operate five locations to directly sell to consumers under a 2014 deal because it was viewed as good for New York jobs, the New York economy, and, most importantly, the environment.
None of that matters now.
Fahy explained, “The bottom line is, Tesla has lost their right to promote these when they’re part of an administration that wants to go backwards. Elon Musk was handed a privilege here.”
It also does not matter that companies like Rivian and Lucid (and their employees) will be caught in the crossfire. Nothing matters but revenge.
Many Democrats seem to have lost a capacity for shame. They are disgusted only by the refusal of others to yield to their demands, not the use of any means to achieve political ends. The question is, what do Democrats like Fahy now stand for when everything they are is now defined by those they hate?
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro professor of public interest law at George Washington University and the author of “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXrb0DU4ko4
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
Take your silver spoon, dig your grave
Heartless challenge
Pick your path and I’ll pray
Wake up in the morning
See your sunrise, loves to go down
Lousy lovers pick their prey
But they never cry out loud, cry out
Well, did she make you cry
Make you break down
Shatter your illusions of love?
And is it over now, do you know how?
Pick up the pieces and go home
Rock on, ancient queen
Follow those who pale in your shadow
Rulers make bad lovers
You better put your kingdom up for sale
Up for sale
Well, did she make you cry
Make you break down
Shatter your illusions of love?
And is it over now, do you know how?
Pick up the pieces and go home
But did she make you cry
Make you break down
Shatter your illusions of love?
And now tell me, is it over now?
Do you know how to pick up the pieces
And go home? Go home, go home
Pale shadow of a woman
Black widow
Pale shadow of a dragon
Dust woman
Pale shadow of a woman
Black widow
Pale shadow, she’s a dragon
Gold Dust Woman
Woman, woman
Reliable estimates are that there are in excess of 500 million firearms in the hands of private US citizens, very few of whom are among the violent “woksters”. If those “woksters” persists in pursuing (or increasing) their violent, juvenile, acting-out behavior, we could experience something that might be known to future generations as the “Great Cleansing”, with the “woksters” being the items cleansed. I personally hope it doesn’t come to that, but it isn’t the worst possible outcome, either.
I am seeing that cleansing as the path of last, but ultimately, only resort other than allowing these wokesters to age out in some safe space and an immediate stopping of all further indoctrinations by the media/education industry.
This started out as a legal analysis column during Trump’s first term. It has turned into political infotainment, every day mocking the latest neuroticism of some leftist Democrat. JT is still in campaign mode, never mind that us conservatives won and now have governing responsibility. What the Dems are doing and saying right now is irrelevant.
It deserves to be ignored, while we navigate the minefield of problems needing to be solved.
I’d say it isn’t irrelevant, given what they are doing and saying are affecting the lives of everyday, sane Americans.
Turley focuses on Democrats to distract from the incompetence and mismanagement of Republican governance.
Republicans STILL cannot pass Trump’s tax cuts. They have not been passing meaningful legislation and they are not addressing the economy. Turley is ignoring Trump’s clear attacks on free speech and the rule of law. Corruption and….influence peddling. All happening right in front of him and yet he continues to look for excuses and write about oddball incidents to piggyback more griping about Democrats.
Based on your comments, I can only come to the conclusion that you believe criminal acts perpetrated while exercising speech are also speech and protected.
Because I know, I know — I’ve read the comments myself — that this has been explained to you over and over and over and over, again.
Either that, or you just don’t know how to brain.
Well, it depends on evidence. Right? Those who claim criminal acts were committed only seem to allege acts done by others and conflating those actions by mere association to a whole group constitutes evidence that their speech is not the issue.
Khalil is accused of supporting Hamas withot a shred of proof. The only proof they offer is that other protesters engaged in violence ergo, Kalil engaged in violence. Some protesters may have spoken about Hamas, ergo Khalil supports Hamas.
That’s not evidence. It’s just a smear and invoking guilt by association.
Just because you don’t like or agree with their evidence doesn’t mean they don’t have any.
He organized the violent protests, was their spokesman negotiating with University officials, took part in them which destroyed University property, occupied a University building, illegally erected a tent city on University property, prevented students from attending classes, harassed Jewish students, distributed pro-hamas literature….I think, IIRC, they held a University janitor hostage.
Giving material support for terrorists isn’t allowed. Violence is not protected speech. These are actions.
And, he lied on his visa application.
lgbmiel,
Correct on the janitor being held against his will. The janitor wrote about the incident for The Free Press.
Now that you’ve provided George Svelaz with the information, he will predictably respond with ‘What information?’ as if it was never given. This routine is tiresome. Either he refuses to engage with facts or lacks the ability to retain them. Whichever it is, the result is the same: an empty response devoid of substance
Yes. He confirms the Mamet Principle.
“In order for modern liberals to keep supporting their illogical policies, they pretend to not know things.”
Good point, but that credits George Svelaz with more than he has.
George the proof of misconduct by those being deported has been proven to ten times the standard needed to deport
Except TDa and MS13 these people are being sent home not to prison
The standard of proof and evidence needed to deport to home someone with no right to be here is very low
But the evidence that exists is stronger than necessary
Multiple people have documented the proven publicly available evidence against Khalil
Many times
You do not attempt to refute it
You just pretend it doesn’t exist
Khalil publicly supported Hamas there is video on YouTube
Nor is that the strongest evidence-that we be the Columbia report detailing his demands to end the occupation
It has not even been 100 days
They have all year to pass tax cuts
Doge has found massine corruption and influence peddling
By democrats
Correct. At first I considered the woke prog/left comparable to an infestation of termites destroying our nation from within. Lately I see them more as locusts on a field of crops, leaving nothing but dross when finished – but completely satiated (much like pelosi’s bank account). We cannot ignore them anymore than a homeowner can ignore termites. But it is glorious to watch their heads explode on a daily basis.
Yes every day! It’s turned into an infotainment blog on the political right. Good luck all
Jonathan this who they real are, DEMS, are a party of Elites, Globalist, Thugs, Communist/Marxist, belief in a two class system, The Elites (DEMS) and the rest of us. Any moderate DEMS are silenced or afraid to speak up for they are attacked. this is a Far Left Wing Corrupt Party and now they are going after people like Schumer, Kamila’s husband and etc. who fail to follow the radical policies and resistance. They chased Elon Musk and others out of the party due to their radicalism. They believe in violence, they defend MS13 etc. Main Street Media backs these radical DEMS. As both Pres. Trump and Elon state, they are seeking to go after the Generals of the Tesla movement. Elon indicates they know who these Generals are. This is not just the DEMS its tied to the Globalist leadership in Europe/UK. Its going to take prosecution and public exposure.
The Democrats have not changed one bit. They have always believed in one and only one thing – staying in power. Whatever puts them in power and keeps them there is good and anything else bad. They will adopt any position of “principle” and change it on a dime if they have to for that singular goal. Musk is helping Trump dismantle the political machine the Democrats built over the last 100 years to keep themselves in power. They are attacking that political machine on all fronts, but especially the flow of federal dollars to that machine. It is an existential crisis for the Democrats, and they know it.
“They have always believed in one and only one thing – staying in power.”
Are you sure about that? Trump wants a third term. He’s pumping out EO’s every day. He’s ignoring court orders. Republicans can’t seem to love gerrymandering to maintain power. etc, etc.
Maybe you should consider looking up the defintion of “projection”.
It is NOT hypocrisy if they never believed any of the stuff in the first place. That is the Democrat’s core flaw. They are only after power and money, and anything they say or have said, is just a tool, or tactic, to obtain said power and money. While Jon Turley may have principles, and moral tenets, the Democrat Party has lacked that for decades – at least since the days of Bill Clinton.
Is it hypocrisy if you visit a prostitute, and as part of her routine, she tells you that she loves you – and then charges you for her services? She doesn’t love you, and she never did. She just wanted your money. It is all a big fckn lie.
So my advice to Jon Turley, and any other “principled” Democrats, is “Grow the fck up, and realize that you have been snookered, and that you have been living in a fool’s paradise for three or four decades, at least. Probably as far back as your college days, and those heady 60’s full of youthful protests.”
It was all a big fckn lie. The Democrats just wanted your money, your time, and your vote.
It is not a flaw – it is a superpower. The Democrats have always been able to adopt any position of principle that will put them in power, and make it sound convincing.
There is plenty to criticize about Musk, and calling for a boycott of his businesses is legitimate protest. His primary concern is his own power and fortune, lets not be naive. Many of his business deals have been terrible for workers, and the environment, as with any other billionaire. Automobiles, whether electric or gasoline, have been a hugely destructive force in our society.
His critics, however, have no affirmative program, and do not even focus on calling out the clumsy, excessive actions of DOGE in which there is a clear conflict of interest, or actions taken which are grossly illegal. E.g., firing thousands of union represented employees at IRS in gross violation of their collective bargaining agreement, with the result that they will be reinstated with back pay, instead of taking the time to reduce employment via contractual layoff procedures, which could have achieved the same goal much less expensively. Planning to sell government buildings, and then lease them back from private landlords has nothing to do with efficiency, nor money savings. The most grotesque waste and fraud are in the billions spent on private contractors, and for military purchases that are completely dysfunctional or useless, but these only rarely being looked at, and never cited in the protests, which focus on ad hominem attacks.
Don’t you see the problem with govt. employee unions?….acting as if you fan tie the hands of future elected officials via a contract reached with the current elected officials?…..what about the voters? Who controls government? What’s the point of elections?
“His primary concern is his own power and fortune…”
That’s a suspicion best brought to your representative or Senator’s attention, but it has no basis in objective truth, unless you care to share your proof here.
PS: DOGE is actually working in DoD, if that’s truly your concern.
“That’s a suspicion best brought to your representative or Senator’s attention, but it has no basis in objective truth, unless you care to share your proof here.”
Apparently you haven’t been paying attention. Republican town halls are rife with anger and complaints about Elon. They have been yelling and screaming at their Senators and representatives about why they haven’t been reining in Elon’s mess.
“PS: DOGE is actually working in DoD, if that’s truly your concern.”
They are not going to do much with the DoD. Elon relies too much on the DoD to do what he has done to other agencies. He’s not going to fire thousands and thousands from the DoD. He’s not going to unilaterally stop defense programs because they are wasteful or fraudulent. Not without harming his own contracts.
By every definition these people have become (or were) Insane!!!!!
So says the anon.
bcofdt13,
They were and are insane. They have gone off the deep end. They are in the same category as the Jonestown Kool-Aid drinkers. There is little difference other than the fact that they are currently still living.
“. . . their core beliefs. . .”; “. . . their most cherished values . . .”
Every nihilistic act you cited in your (excellent) piece proves that the modern Left has no “core beliefs” or “cherished values.” A movement serious about its beliefs and values does not treat them as a hollow pinata.
What the Left has is fleeting issues of convenience — to achieve one thing: Power.
Why (excellent) in parentheses ?
Because it’s an aside to the main point of the sentence.
A movement serious about its beliefs and values does not treat them as a hollow pinata.
Well said Sam. A perfect example of that on this blog is George. I’ve said before that any one of us could write George’s comments for him. As the character Melvin Udall said when asked “how do you write a woman so well in As Good As It Gets, “I think of a man, and I take away reason and accountability.” Take the same approach and you too could write for George.
OLLY,
Great comment! The As Good As It Gets reference is awesome!
Thank you Upstate. When I originally joined this blog over a decade ago, I had a lot I wanted to learn. It was a time when Mike Appleton and Mespo used to square off in legal debates on the issues of the day. Today, JT’s posts have been reliably true to form and Mespo no longer has the likes of Mike to debate, which might explain his reduction in comments. The regular commenters today come in two forms, radical Left and constitutional. JT’s post today wouldn’t even have been subject to reasonable debate 13 years ago. Today, it’s garnered 160+ comments and growing. It’s like wandering into a county home watching people try to reason with crazy people. It doesn’t take much imagination to know how it will play out.
The zombie apocalypse. They might as well start buying diesel dual wheel pickups, chewing tobacco and strapping on their handguns. They can “Roll coal” when they pull up next to an EV. Yee haw!
What a bunch of mentally ill unhinged weirdos! This shows their true and violent nature. If this were not so pathetic and dangerous, it would make for interesting comedy such as the once great SNL and Mad Magazine.
Their true colors are shining through.
Not sure if “hypocrisy” is the best way to attack Democrats, since there is plenty of that to go around in Washington. Still waiting for Turley to write a column about the worst free speech administration in US history. Arresting and deporting students, grabbing them off the street and shipping them thousands of miles away from home — just for writing an op ed criticizing Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, sounds like a free speech violation, yet there is silence from both parties. Fear? Ignorance? Or maybe it’s all that AIPAC money they both gladly take to look the other way?
Sorry, but the previous administration was FAR worse on free speech. The only reason you don’t see is that YOU personally were fine with the speech they suppressed. What the hel happened to true “Liberalism”, embodied in the quote: “While I may disagree with what you say, I will fight to the death to protect your right to say it.”?
At this point, the most Liberal group in the United States are those labeled as “Conservarive”.
And here … the ID10T speeks.
The worst free speech administration in history was Biden followed by Adam’s followed by Obama
Deporting a few illegals and visa holders who participated in violent protests does not get you in the top half
“Deporting a few illegals and visa holders who participated in violent protests does not get you in the top half”
Khalil did not participate in violent protests or engaged in violence. None. Neither did the Tufts Student. All they did was engage in political speech and activities which are protected under the 1st amendment. Trump is punishing students and schools for allowing these “illegal protests”.
Trump is outpacing Biden in attacking free speech. Biden did not resort to punishing companies or individuals for exercising their free speech rights. Pressuring social media to alter or supress information is perfectly legal as long as the social media company has the ability to say no without repercussions. SCOTUS made this point quite clear.
Trump is punishing and silencing dissent by direct threats. That is much worse.
Khalil is a massively losing argument
And evidence of the delusion on the left
He founded the group that organized the protestest
He participated in organizing the protest
Taking over buildings property shutting down classes was planned even if property destruction might not have been
He represented protesters in negotiations threatened to continue occupation and shutdown until demands were met
That is not speech it i Is conduct
He is not being sent to prison or El Salvador
He is being sent home
Good riddance
The only thing we know about the tufts student is what an untrusted msm says
She will get her day in court
Trump will have to provide a basis for revoking visa
That standard is not high
But criticizing Israel is not enough
Given how bat$hit you are on Khalil
Why should you be trusted on anything else ?
Even if you were correct
Which you are clearly not
DHS has allegedly censored maybe 300 pro Hamas students
Biden censored millions
This is not even close
No pressuring for censorship is not legal
Soto mayor wrote the opinion on that in NRA vs NY
Are you silenced ?
Has trump threatened to jail you for speech ?
Are you being spied on ?
Some on the left are being punished by trump for
Conduct
For discrimination
For money laundering
For false statements to FBI
For false statements to courts
For false public statements regarding classified information they had access to
For censorsing others
You are so biased and stupid you do not recognize your own bad conduct even though it conflicts with values you claim to hold
You used what power you had to censor millions
And you are still claiming that was ok
While protesting alleged infringement 1000 times less than your own
Alas alas for you
Hypocrites that you be
No scotus did not say government can pressure private actors to censor
It explicitly rejected that in nra v ny a 9-0 Soto mayor decision
It decided that the Missouri AG d I d not have standing to sue the Biden admin
It did not say bidens conduct was legal
George as always you post is just end to end lies
You have no credibility
You did this to yourself
You don’t matter anymore
When you write people assume you lie
And that always proves right
The are not being sent away from home
They are literally being sent HOME
Eugene dobbs a us citizen running for president who got 6% of the vote was locked in jail for criticizing democrat Woodrow Wilson’s war policy’s
The Democrats have consistently failed to meet the low standards that they set for themselves and it shows.
It goes so much deeper than the surface
“Somebody who has experienced the comfort of God knows that he or she has something” – These folks are under the control of Satan. It’s a simple as that. George Soros‘s, open society, text a protest, the folks are told when and where to go and what to protest. There is a huge evil at play here
JT, were you equally “disgusted” on On January 6, 2021?
If you read this column regularly, you know he was. Also, isn’t it amazing how the Right can identify hundreds of incidents of hate, vandalism, and destruction on the Left and the Left only can only identify one day involving a handful of rabble rousers.
I’m relatively new to JT’s column but not at all new to so-called “conservatives” illegally, if not treasonously, wreaking havoc in my America (e.g., the Reagan tax cuts for the rich in 1981 and 1986, 85% bipartisan support of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999/Clinton, which crashed the economy in 2008 and Bush’s multi-trillion dollar wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, falsely targeting the perpetrators of ‘9/11″ and WMDs. JG, there is no conseervative agenda and there is no liberal agenda; just a constitutional agenda which neither side is loyal to. Anonymous, below, I was quoting JT, unaware of how he addressed J6 while finding it disgusting myself.
You’re hard to understand, my friend. You need to close the parentheses you opened. Punctuation is a bit sloppy, too.
Sorry about that, Anonymous, and thanks for pointing out my typos. Long-term medically unrecognized food and food additive allergies aggravated with illegally (e.g. FFDCA) FDA approved food poisoning (e.g., soy [late 1960s], TBHQ [1972]and added MSG [1980], minimally) and excessive related/resultant medical errors are still interfering with my thinking and writing more effectively. Statistically, I’m lucky to still be alive, lucid, living independently and regular prescription drug free, at age eighty-one. I’m hoping RFK, Jr., as the new Secretary of HHS, will help remedy the problems, albeit with no reply yet after four email and one postal letter attempt to contact him.
The tds is strong in this one
This is a legal blog
When you say something is illegal you are expected to be able to show that
When you say unconstitutional you are expected to show that
Congress can not act illegally they make the law
If you believe tax cuts are unconstitutional cite the provision of the constitution
The cause of the financial crisis like all bubbles is bad monetary policy I.e. the federal reserve
That it occurred in housing was driven by politicians pushing lax lending standards
Republicans are not perfect
But they are not the disaster democrats are
John Say, it’s ironic how you don’t follow your own advice.
Congress can not act illegally they make the law
I would disagree with only this…
Congress is bound by the Constitution just as the other branches are. Congress is limited to exercising its Constitutionally enumerated powers and duties.
Everything outside the Constitution is illegal.
Supremacy Clause — the Constitution is the Supreme law, next are legislative acts which ‘pursue the Constitution.’
An act by Congress is only/b> legal if it carries out a Constitutionally enumerated power or duty.
Oh, my. So sorry about the bolding of that last sentence.
Lgbmiel, I can agree that the Congress cannot illegally pass an otherwise constitutional law but the point I meant to make was that the FDA can, and did, approve toxic adulterated food products for interstate commerce in violation of 21USC Chapter 9 Subchapter 3 article 330-331a (FFDCA, Federal Food Drug and Cosmetics Act), causing multiple epidemics of cheaply and easily prevented chronic diseases and costing millions of American lives prematurely and trillions of taxpayer dollars. And, I believe, FDA approval or not, food manufacturers are still bound by the same law to provide us with as natural, pure and safe foods as are commercially feasible. Enough for today, I’m still suffering from FDA instigated chronic insomnia.
My comment wasn’t to you. It was to dhlii.
It’s possible I misunderstood his meaning.
It’s in quotation marks. It suggests he is quoting someone else. But I don’t see the attribution. Must have gotten lost in the drafting and editing process.
But to answer your question, you must be new here. Turley has made it known MANY times in various posts and writings how disgusted he was by J6.
But, of course, you know that already.
Yes, and he’s said so.
Turley was and is far more disgusted by j6 than it ever deserved
The only people killed were protestors
Police tear gassed protesters before any violence
Before even any civil disobedience
No one has firearms or molatov cocktails
Violence is the point of left wing protests
We are also still waiting on definitive answers to several important questions about J6: who placed the pipe bombs (assuming those were real); who was behind them; who knew about them beforehand; who actually instigated many of the acts of misbehavior that occurred on that day. I have seen nothing from Professor Turley that indicates that he is burning to find the answers to those questions. Maybe he suspects that those answers might undermine what faith he has left in liberal governance.
They may end up destroying people voting for female politicians with all of their histrionics!
No one could explain that to them since logic is their kryptonite!
Nothing I hear floating around the national dialog seems to be a core belief of democrats. If “they” have anything resembling core beliefs it is the primal tooth and claw battle for power and wealth. Everything and everyone is a disposable means to that empty goal. Maybe they’re brilliant and humanity is destined to live like an insect colony and that’s all there is to life but it seems pretty damned bleak.
Professor, it is time you realized that insanity has no logic except that the end justifies any and all means. Simple as that.
New day, pretty much the same comment from me, Professor. You are disgusted with them because they are fascists and I don’t know why you won’t say so. Look at all the things you are accusing them of. That is what fascists do, using violence and intimidation to force people to bow to their political desires. Do not let your civility stop you from recognizing what is right in front of your face. I was all about civility and not calling names until one party ran away from it and any sense of fairness, justice or decency.
Good report. When the Democrats “torched their core beliefs to pursue a scorched Earth campaign against Musk,” they created a logical fallacy of sorts. The resolution is that EVs and Climate were never part of their core beliefs. However, their actions do consistently support a core belief such as “the acquisition and retention of power.” This begs the question of whether climate advocates inside the Dem party will notice.
It’s ibvious many don’t even believe the constitutional core vaalue if freedom! Don’t vite for Dems because if they musbehave like this when times are good, we can believe they would go full authoritarian in a crisis!
For Dems, it’s all about fraud and grift. It’s has NOTHING to do with policy or principles