Lawmakers Urge FBI Investigation into Tesla Vandalism, Raising Ethics Questions for Greene

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, joined by fellow Republican lawmakers, has intensified efforts to push the FBI and Attorney General to label recent acts of vandalism against Tesla vehicles and dealerships as domestic terrorism. This movement has been publicly endorsed and promoted by former President Donald Trump.

Recently, there have been a growing number of vandalism and arson incidents targeting Tesla property, coinciding with protests aimed at Elon Musk. Musk, who has been involved in a political initiative to scale back sections of the federal government through the Department of Government Efficiency, has faced increasing backlash. Tesla showrooms have emerged as central locations for these protests, raising concerns among Musk's supporters and conservative activists rallying to his defense.

In response, Greene and other Republicans wrote a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi, urging them to investigate what they described as an organized wave of anti-Tesla vandalism, suggesting possible ties to Democrat-affiliated non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Greene herself raised questions on social media about who might be funding such actions and hinted without evidence that there may be coordinated involvement from politically motivated NGOs aligned with Democrats.

However, this official letter may cause ethical concerns for Greene due to her holding financial interests in Tesla stock. According to Forbes, House ethics rules explicitly forbid members from taking actions in their official capacity that could personally benefit their financial holdings. Campaign finance attorney Brett Kappel confirmed to Forbes that such a letter could represent a serious ethical misstep on Greene's part.

Greene's spokesperson, Nick Dyer, countered these allegations of wrongdoing by arguing that the concern raised by Greene centers solely around preventing domestic terrorism, and criticized the Forbes reporting as politically biased.

During a recent event held at the White House, former President Trump himself lent vocal support to Tesla and Elon Musk. Trump emphasized clearly that he would classify acts of vandalism against Tesla vehicles as domestic terrorism, pledging efforts to ensure those targeting Tesla faced severe consequences. He expressed strong support for Tesla as an important American company providing jobs, even publicly committing to purchasing a Tesla vehicle himself.

At the same event, Elon Musk publicly commended Trump administration policies, stating his company's intention to significantly expand U.S. vehicle production capacity within the next two years. Musk called this decision both an endorsement of Trump's policies and a demonstration of Tesla’s ongoing commitment to investing in America's economic future.