Elon Musk attempts an unconventional strategy against wind turbines
Following Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter, significant advertising clients are withdrawing their business. Unfazed, Musk is retaliating by filing lawsuits against various consumer goods corporations. As per a source, Musk has a unique strategy for a lesser-known Danish wind farm operator in Texas.
American magnate Elon Musk has allegedly resorted to unconventional methods in his lawsuit against the departing advertisers of the social media platform Twitter X. Based on Spiegel's investigation, the Danish energy company Ørsted, which is among the defendants, is notably impacted. Ørsted operates wind farms in the same Texas judicial district that Musk has selected for his lawsuit. In a lawsuit filed by Twitter X at the beginning of August, Musk's lawyers assert that several companies and an advertising association conspired to blacklist the platform.
Besides consumer goods giants Mars, Unilever, and CVS Health, the lesser-known wind turbine manufacturer Ørsted is also implicated - an uncommon adversary for Musk. As the CEO and co-owner of electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, the 53-year-old has publicly committed to "speed up the world's shift towards sustainable energy," making Ørsted seem like an associate. Additionally, Ørsted was not a significant advertiser on Twitter or X. Ørsted chose not to comment, and Twitter X did not respond to a request for comment.
The rationale behind Musk's legal action against Ørsted seems to stem from his desire to have this lawsuit heard in the northern district of Texas. This is the jurisdiction of Reed O'Connor, a conservative judge who has ruled against stricter gun laws and against Barack Obama's healthcare reform. However, he can only preside over the case if the plaintiff or the defendant companies have a local connection to the court.
Judge declares his bias
Musk relocated the Twitter X headquarters from liberal San Francisco to Austin, Texas, but it falls under the western judicial district of Texas. Instead, Musk's lawyers established a connection to O'Connor's court through Ørsted. The Danes "operate, among other things, a wind farm in the Wichita Falls district of this judicial district," the lawsuit states.
In actuality, Ørsted operates two wind farms in that district. However, Musk's preferred judge will not preside over this case. O'Connor has declared himself biased - he owns Tesla shares.
Despite Musk's efforts to bring Ørsted under the jurisdiction of Judge Reed O'Connor due to its operations in Texas, the judge has recused himself from the case due to his personal investment in Tesla. This decision could potentially impact The economy, as the outcome of this lawsuit between Musk and the advertising clients could have implications for the advertising industry and companies like Ørsted.
