Judge says Elon Musk engaged in 'little more than state sanctioned intimidation' when he accused a DHS official of a crime
A federal magistrate judge took issue with a tweet Elon Musk made in Feburary 2025 that accused a former FEMA official of "criminal action."
Federal Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick criticized Elon Musk for engaging in "little more than state-sanctioned intimidation" after Musk accused a former Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) official of criminal conduct. Fitzpatrick's ruling, published on Tuesday, addressed Musk's February 11, 2025, tweet on X, which falsely characterized the fired official's actions and aimed to make her feel afraid.
Fitzpatrick highlighted that federal officials knew the accusations were false, yet Musk and then-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem made statements that damaged Comans' reputation. The judge emphasized that Comans had an impeccable record and was targeted for no legitimate reason. Musk's post, which quoted a statement falsely alleging that the official had funneled $58 million to illegal migrant hotels, was one of seven statements the judge addressed.
Fitzpatrick noted that the federal government did not dispute the case's facts, including the falsity of the accusations. This ruling is part of a broader legal dispute over Comans' firing, which the Trump administration is appealing.
Written by urgent.news from Business Insider's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
