Federal prosecutors have filed charges against at least two people for allegedly damaging Tesla property.

  • tree_frog@lemm.ee
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    1 day ago

    Whoever maliciously damages or destroys, or attempts to damage or destroy, by means of fire or an explosive, any building, vehicle, or other personal or real property in whole or in part owned or possessed by, or leased to, the United States, or any department or agency thereof, or any institution or organization receiving Federal financial assistance, shall be imprisoned for not less than 5 years and not more than 20 years, fined under this title, or both.

    I imagine this is the part of the statue she is having folks charged under. Notice it normally only applies to destruction of the United States government property, but because Tesla is receiving so much financial assistance from the government, I guess it counts.

    Assuming they used fire anyway.

    If anyone else is curious it’s malicious destruction of property. In the federal code.

    • futatorius@lemm.ee
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      24 hours ago

      Tesla is not owned by the government, the cars being burnt are not leased to the Feds, and it’s unclear if Tesla is receiving Federal financial assistance in the sense meant in this law. So the law doesn’t appear to fit the facts of the case. Looks like a malicious prosecution.

      • tree_frog@lemm.ee
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        9 hours ago

        Yeah, I hope the defense attorneys run circles around it. I think Bondi is overreaching and that she’s more concerned about politics than getting a conviction. Hopefully that hurts those cases.