Elon Musk is known for his controversial statements, and his recent argument with Latham & Watkins, a global law firm providing legal aid to a San Francisco based non-profit ‘Coalition on Homelessness’, is no exception. Reportedly via a San Francisco Standard article, Musk called for a boycott of the firm, as the non-profit is accusing the city of violating federal law by displacing homeless people and destroying their property without providing them with shelter.
In an unusual gesture from a billionaire known for financially robust intervention in certain issues, Musk has instead opted for a call to boycott. His actions have drawn criticism and sparked comparisons with inappropriate deployments of the civil rights era playbook.
This legal controversy around homelessness has attracted other high-profile contributors. Garry Tan, CEO of Y Combinator, has joined Musk in demanding Latham & Watkins’ resignation from the case which has seen rallies outside a federal courthouse. Following a controversial hearing, Musk echoed Tan’s sentiment in a tweet, “Let’s ask our companies to cease all work with @lathamwatkins.”
The situation escalated further with another tweet from Musk, seemingly hinting towards a far worse circumstance for San Francisco, typical of Detroit, if the law firm managed to come out victorious, “They want war? Let’s give it to them. We cannot let these snakes win or San Francisco will end up like Detroit,” tweeted Musk in a reply to Tan.
This statement likely alludes to Detroit’s known struggles with sustaining its infrastructure in light of foreign competition, particularly in auto manufacturing. It seems Musk’s criticism directed towards Latham & Watkins extends further towards criticizing lawyers doing pro bono work.
We wish Latham and the people they’re defending all the best, and hope they aren’t deterred by what some may consider distractions from a high-profile figure.
For the full report from the SF Standard, click here.