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Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey slams Board over Elon Musk’s takeover bid

(Credit: Ryan Lash/TED)

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s bid to acquire Twitter for about $43 billion recently received some support from the social media platform’s co-founder, Jack Dorsey. In a recent set of tweets, Dorsey slammed Twitter’s Board of Directors for its decision to block Musk’s attempt at purchasing the company. 

Musk announced his intention to acquire Twitter last week, with the Tesla and SpaceX CEO offering to purchase the company at $54.20 per share. The amount represented a 54% premium over Twitter’s closing price when Musk started purchasing TWTR shares and a 38% premium over the day before his holdings were disclosed.

In response to Musk’s buyout offer, Twitter’s Board of Directors opted to adopt a “poison pill” strategy. The strategy would allow all shareholders except those who are trying to buy the company — in this case, Elon Musk —to purchase shares at a steep discount. Musk could still acquire more shares and increase his stake, but the financial cost would be extremely substantial. 

Musk’s Twitter saga has placed the social media platform and the CEO’s stance on free speech front and center. It was then no surprise when some users noted that the history of Twitter’s Board is mired in controversy. One user noted that Twitter’s story has been “mired in plots and coups” — so much so that it could inspire a Hollywood film one day. Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey responded to one such post, noting that the Board does tend to be dysfunctional. 

“It’s consistently been the dysfunction of the company,” Dorsey wrote. 

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Apart from this, Dorsey agreed with a quote from venture capitalist Fred Destin, who noted that “What I do know for sure is that this old Silicon Valley proverb is grounded in age-old wisdom that still applies today: Good boards don’t create good companies, but a bad board will kill a company every time.” Destin’s statement, which also seemed to be criticizing Twitter’s Board for blocking Musk’s takeover attempt, was dubbed by Dorsey as “big facts.” 

Elon Musk, for his part, recently posted some new thoughts about the Twitter Board of Directors’ resistance to his takeover attempt. Tesla bull and Wall Street veteran Gary Black suggested that taking Twitter private would mean that the Board members would no longer have a regular salary from the company. Musk agreed with this suggestion. “Board salary will be $0 if my bid succeeds, so that’s ~$3M/year saved right there,” Musk wrote. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla faces emission credits tax in Washington state

House Bill 2077 taxes emissions credits, mainly hitting Tesla. Lawmakers expect $100M/year from the taxes.

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(Credit: Tesla)

Washington state lawmakers are advancing a bill that would tax Tesla’s emission credits, targeting profits under the state’s clean vehicle policy. Lawmakers who support the bill clarify that the Tesla credit tax is unrelated to Elon Musk.

HB 2077, introduced in mid-April, seeks to impose a 2% tax on emission credit sales and a 10% tax on banked credits. The bill primarily affects Tesla due to exemptions for companies with fewer credits.

In 2022, Washington’s Department of Ecology mandated that all new cars sold by 2035 be electric, hydrogen-fueled, or hybrids, with 35% compliance required by next year. Carmakers selling more gas-powered vehicles can buy credits from companies like Tesla, which sells only electric vehicles.

A legislative fiscal analysis projects taxes on those credits would generate $78 million in the 2025-27 biennium and $100 million annually thereafter. About 70% of the taxes will be allocated to the state’s general funds, and the rest will help expand electric car infrastructure.

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HB 2077 passed the state House eight days after its introduction and awaits a Senate Ways and Means Committee vote on Friday. At a House Finance Committee hearing, supporters, including union and social service advocates, argued the tax would prevent cuts to state services.

House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon emphasized its necessity amid frozen federal EV infrastructure funds. “We didn’t have a budget crisis until this year. And we didn’t have the federal government revoking huge amounts of federal dollars for EV infrastructure,” he said.

Tesla’s lobbyist, Jeff Gombosky, countered that the proposal “runs counter to the intent” of the state’s zero-emission policy. Rivian’s lobbyist, Troy Nichols, noted a “modest” impact on his company but warned it could undermine the EV mandate. Kate White Tudor of the Natural Resources Defense Council expressed concerns, stating, “We worry it sets a dubious precedent.”

Fitzgibbon defended the tax, noting Tesla’s dominant credit stockpile makes it “one outlier” that is “very profitable.” “That’s the kind of thing legislators take an interest in,” he said. “Is it serving the interest of the public for this asset to be untaxed?”

With the legislative session nearing its end, the bill remains a key focus in budget talks in Washington.

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Tesla Takedown group takes victory lap and aims for Starlink and SpaceX

Following Tesla’s Q1 2025 results, which were below expectations, the Tesla Takedown group celebrated.

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Credit: Tesla

The Tesla Takedown movement has taken a victory lap following the release of the electric vehicle maker’s first quarter 2025 earnings. With the group feeling encouraged by its results with the EV maker, Tesla Takedown is now setting its sights at Elon Musk’s other ventures, such as Starlink and SpaceX.

Because high-speed and reliable satellite internet for people in remote areas and the most affordable spaceflight provider for the United States need to be damaged, it seems.

Tesla Takedown’s Victory Lap

Following Tesla’s Q1 2025 results, which were below expectations, the Tesla Takedown group celebrated. “Today’s earnings report sends a very clear message. The Tesla Takedown grassroots pressure is beginning to hit Tesla where it hurts – the company’s bottom line,” the group noted.

Of course, the fact that Tesla did not sell its best-selling car for the majority of the first quarter due to the new Model Y changeover was conveniently left out by the group.

Nevertheless, in a comment to Insider, Tesla Takedown noted that its post-earnings email had an open rate of 53%, far above the 30% open rate of its previous emails. It also noted that it saw more than 30 new anti-Tesla protests added to its Action Network page within about 24 hours of the Q1 earnings’ release. Lastly, its BlueSky follower count rose by 10% to 15%, far above its weekly social media growth of 5%.

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New Targets Acquired

Despite its name, Tesla Takedown is really more like an anti-Elon Musk group. Thus, it was no surprise that in a statement, the group noted that it is now setting its sights on Musk’s other ventures. As per Tesla Takedown, it is already making preparations for similar efforts against the CEO’s other ventures, such as SpaceX and Starlink. 

“Tesla Takedown has already started laying the groundwork to expand Tesla Takedown efforts to target other Musk businesses including SpaceX, Starlink, X and xAI,” the Tesla Takedown group noted.

Considering the absence of the Model Y in most of Q1 2025, Tesla Takedown’s alleged effects on the company and Elon Musk’s alleged brand damage could be determined more accurately this quarter. This Q2, after all, none of Tesla’s vehicles are paused, and the company seems determined to sell as many cars as possible.

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Tesla is trying to make a statement with its Q2 delivery numbers

Tesla’s aggressive promotions for its vehicles today are quite strategic.

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Credit: Tesla/X

It is no secret that Tesla had subpar delivery numbers in the first quarter. It was due to a number of things, most of all the changeover to the new Model Y across its factories worldwide. The results, however, were enough for critics, both longtime and new, to declare that Tesla is just about done.

Looking at Tesla’s recently rolled out promotions across its lineup, however, it seems like the electric vehicle maker is dead serious about proving its skeptics wrong. 

Promotions, Promotions Everywhere

Just recently, Tesla announced that it was rolling out yet another free FSD transfer program for its customers. Such a program is designed to encourage longtime Tesla owners who may be holding onto their old vehicles with FSD to upgrade to a newer car. Tesla noted that its free FSD transfer is available for the Model S, X, 3, Y, and the Cybertruck in North America.

Tesla also announced a 0% APR financing program for new Model 3 orders in the United States. The Model 3 Performance even received an extra incentive, with the company offering premium paint colors such as Deep Blue Metallic and Pearl White for free with every vehicle purchase. Owners of Model Y classic units are also offered a $2,000 discount off the price of a new Model Y. Cybertruck customers, on the other hand, are offered special leasing rates.

Over in China, Tesla has announced a five-year, zero-interest financing program for the new Model Y. A similar program was also made available for the Model 3 sedan.

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Taking Control of the “Demand Issue” Narrative

Tesla’s aggressive promotions for its vehicles today are quite strategic. The United States and China, after all, are two of the company’s largest markets. If Tesla wishes to post healthy delivery numbers this Q2, robust delivery numbers in the U.S. and China are practically required. 

When Tesla announced its earnings earlier this week, critics were overjoyed to see that the company had seen a notable drop in revenue. Arguments about the company’s demand issues were highlighted anew as well. It’s ironic, but just a few months after the Model Y secured its place as the world’s best-selling car by volume for the second year in a row, arguments about Tesla’s demand issues are abounding once more.

It remains to be seen if Tesla’s aggressive promotions this Q2 will make a difference in its vehicle sales worldwide. But if the company ends the second quarter with an impressive number of vehicle deliveries, it could take control of its demand narrative with authority. 

A Potential Elon Musk Point

A healthy delivery result for the second quarter may also renew faith among investors that CEO Elon Musk is indeed serious about leading Tesla to new heights. Over the past months, Musk’s attention had been evidently focused on his activities with the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), but during the Q1 2025 earnings call, the CEO stated that he would be spending more time at Tesla starting May. 

This suggests that Musk would be extremely hands-on with the electric car maker for the majority of Q2 2025. Tesla is typically at its best when pushed by its aggressive CEO, so it would be interesting to see just how far the company could go before the end of June 2025.

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