Musk files to end SEC ‘muzzle’
Musk asks for the term in his his 2018 consent decree with the SEC, that requires a company lawyer to pre-approve his Twitter communication, to be thrown out, arguing that it is “contrary to the American principles of free speech and open debate”.
The consent decree required Musk to step down as Tesla’s chairman; elect two new members to the company’s board; pay a $20 million penalty, plus a further $20 million form Tesla; establish a new committee of independent directors; and put in place additional controls and procedures to oversee Musk’s communications.
In April, after requesting the agreement be abolished, U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman refused to throw out the decree because Musk entered the terms of the decree “knowingly and willingly.” This time, Musk’s attorneys argue that the SEC’s review has become more invasive:
Under the shadow of the consent decree, the SEC has increasingly surveilled, policed, and attempted to curb Mr. Musk’s protected speech that does not touch upon the federal securities laws. Any objective served by the pre-approval provision has been served.
Twitter: Musk’s fake account claim ‘not supported’
During discovery for the upcoming trial, lawyers for Twitter say Musk’s review of Twitter’s accounts by his advisers do not back up his allegation that the number of fake users was “wildly higher” than 5% as he claimed when he said he was ending the Twitter takeover deal in July. Musk claimed Twitter had misled him, allowing him to walk away without penalty from the deal. The lawyer says that two documents created by the two data scientists employed by Musk estimated that the number of fake accounts on the platform at 5.3% and 11%.
None of these analyses so far as we can tell remotely supported what Mr. Musk told Twitter and told the world in the termination letter.
Twitter lawyers: Musk destroyed Andreessen evidence
Twitter’s lawyers have accused Musk of destruction of evidence, citing a screenshot of a conversation between Musk and venture capitalist Marc Andreessen on Signal, a messaging app that includes a feature that deletes messages after some time.
Musk deleted these messages because he anticipated litigation and he knew that they would undermine his counterclaims and defenses.
The same court filing also showed that Musk exchanged multiple text messages with Oracle Corporation co-founder Larry Ellison, starting May 12 through 12:20 a.m. on May 13, which was just hours before he announced that he was pausing his attempt to acquire the social media company.
Twitter’s legal team has complained that despite a subpeona, the Tesla CEO has not really provided the relevant text messages between Musk and Ellison.
Both Ellison and Andreessen have backed Musk’s attempt to acquire Twitter. Andreessen’s VC firm, Andreessen Horowitz, backed Musk with $400 million, while Ellison was one of 19 investors who committed a whopping $7.14 billion for the potential acquisition.
Tesla board investigates Musk’s glass house purchases
Tesla’s board is investigating Musk for possible misuse of company resources in a project to build himself a mansion near the company’s Texas headquarters. The project involves a glass-walled building near Tesla’s Gigafactory in Austin, of which some renderings apparently show a residential area with bedrooms, bathrooms and a kitchen next to a body of water, with the factory in the background. The board’s probe comes after Tesla’s finance and internal audit teams became aware of an order placed by a Musk advisor (also being probed) for millions of dollars worth of specialized glass, and is focusing on whether executives in Musk’s inner circle used the company’s clout to obtain the glass for a personal project of Musk’s while a global supply chain crisis made the glass more difficult to obtain normally.
HCC wins £5m insurance judgement against CMAL
A summary judgment is granted in favour of HCC International insurance aganst CMAL to claim £5 million owed as a result of the way ministers bought the shipyard when it was in administration. The Scottish government, which owns CMAL, said it was aware. Deputy High Court Judge Simon Gleeson:
It is easy to see why this decision seems to have caused so much anger and irritation amongst the Scottish ministers. In paying for the business of FMEL (Ferguson Marine) by reducing FMEL’s liabilities to them, they believed that they were simply transferring their own money from one pocket to another, with the transaction having no impact on their overall obligations. The discovery that the choice of transaction structure had resulted in their being required to pay a little over £5million to a third party must have been highly unwelcome.
Scottish government spokesman:
We are aware of a summary judgment that has been made in the English courts in relation to the claim.
Charges dropped over alleged Florida robbery
Prosecutors drop charges against McGregor after he allegedly smashed a fan’s phone outside a Miami hotel. Prosecutors in Miami say the victim has stopped cooperating with investigators and has recanted his story. The Miami Herald reports the fan, Ahmed Abdirzak, dropped his civil lawsuit with McGregor after reaching a settlement. Abdirzak had been seeking $15,000 in damages.
Florida assistant state attorney Khalil Madani said that Abdirzak…
has credibility issues as he’s changed his previously sworn testimony…Based on the witness’s credibility issues, his unwillingness to respond to a subpoena and the inability of the witnesses to testify… the State of Florida cannot prove the charges against Mr McGregor beyond a reasonable doubt.
Arrested after smashing fan’s phone
McGregor is arrested after he allegedly smashes a fan’s phone outside a nightclub in Miami Beach. The fan, who has not been named, was trying to take photos of McGregor as he was leaving the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel, home to the LIV nightclub, just after 5am, when McGregor allegedly ‘slapped’ the phone out of the out of his hand and stomped on it several times, then picked it up and walked away with it. The fighter is facing charges of misdemeanor criminal mischief and strong-armed robbery.
Cleared over fresh motoring charge
McGregor is cleared of his latest motoring charge at a court in Dublin. He appeared on a charge for not producing his license and insurance when asked to earlier this year, for which he was issued with a summons. Garda Keith Dolan told the court that he was making an application to the judge to strike out all charges as the documents had been produced by McGregor when he arrived. Judge Geraldine Carthy granted the application and McGregor left the court room flanked by his three security guards, saying:
Thank you, Judge.
Driving ban
McGregor is banned from driving for six months after pleading guilty to speeding. He admitted to driving his Range Rover at 154kph (96mph) in a 100kph (62mph) zone near Kill, County Kildare, in October 2017. He also apologised to the judge after he was also fined 1,000 euros (£883) at Naas district court near Dublin. McGregor has 12 previous traffic offences dating back to his teens. Judge Desmond Zaidan said:
The speed here is in the higher end…When speeding goes wrong the consequences are catastrophic and life-changing.
Fails to appear in court over speeding charges
McGregor fails to appear before a court over speeding charges. He had been accused of four offences — one of speeding and three relating to the failure to produce a driving licence. He was allegedly recorded driving at 154kph in a 100kph zone. McGregor was summoned to appear at Naas District Court in Co Kildare but he did not appear when his case was called. His solicitor appeared on his behalf, but the judge said McGregor needed to appear in person:
There is no question of Mr McGregor not knowing about this…I won’t ask why he is not here . . . but the onus was on the defence solicitor to notify his client to turn up for the hearing…If it is contested I won’t hear the case in absentia (in the absence of McGregor).
Signs new 6-fight deal with the UFC
White announces that McGregor has signed a new six-fight deal with the UFC. The deal will also position McGregor’s new liquor brand, Proper Whiskey, as a sponsor in every UFC event in which the latter competes. Terms were not disclosed, but White says the deal could make McGregor the most money in the sport, especially given his pay-per-view appeal. The six fights include the matchup with Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 on Oct. 6. When asked if the logo of his product will have a presence in the Octagon, McGregor responded:
You bet your bollocks it is. On the canvas. On the canvas. Like [Nurmagomedov’s] blood will be on the canvas.
McGregor sued by Chiesa over New York bus attack
Chiesa sues McGregor for causing him physical and psychological harm when McGregor hurled a metal dolly at the window of a bus at the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn. Chiesa, who said he was pulled from UFC 223 after the incident, claims he has suffered financial damage as a result of the incident and it has affected his future earnings. The size of damages being sought has not been disclosed, although his lawyers say it “exceeds the jurisdictional limits of all lower courts”. The document lists claims for damages for negligence, assault, battery and “intentional infliction of emotional distress”. Chiesa’s lawyers say:
[he was] rendered sick, sore, lame and disabled; that he has experienced pain, suffering and a loss of enjoyment of life and will experience same in future.
McGregor pleads guilty, avoids jail
McGregor pleads guilty to disorderly conduct in a deal with prosecutors to avoid jail time from his assault on a bus in April 2018. McGregor had faced charges of included menacing, assault resulting in injury, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief. As part of his deal he is required to undergo anger management treatment. McGregor was also required to pay full restitution to the bus company, which he has already fulfilled. The plea will not affect his US work visa.
I just want to say I’m thankful to the DA [District Attorney] and the judge for allowing me to move forward. I want to say to my friends, my family, my fans: thank you for the support.
McGregor, Cowley negotiating plea deal
McGregor and Cowley, who flew from Ireland on a private jet, appear in court for less than a minute regarding assault and criminal mischief charges stemming from a backstage melee in April. McGregor and Cowley’s team inform the court that they plan to negotiate a plea. The session is dismissed and the next hearing, where McGregor and Cowley’s team are expected to enter the actual plea, is announced for July 26. After the hearing a member of the legal team read a statement from McGregor:
I regret my actions that led me here today; I understand the seriousness of this matter and I’m hopeful it gets resolved soon. Thank you, everyone.
Released on bail
McGregor and Cowley appear in court, where they are charged with assault and criminal mischief. McGregor is released under $50,000 bail. He will be allowed to fly home to Ireland after the authorities decided not to seize his passport. He will return to New York on June 14 for his next court hearing, along with Cowley.
Led out of police station in handcuffs
McGregor is led out of Brooklyn’s 78th Precinct police station in handcuffs.
Charged with assault, criminal mischief
After turning himself in to police, McGregor is charged with three counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief following a rampage at a UFC press event in Brooklyn. Police:
He’s still in custody, still at the police precinct until he’s removed to court this morning.
Released from prison
Keys is released from the Satellite Prison Camp Atwater, in Atwater, California, after serving out most of his two-year sentence. He is living in a halfway house for two months as one of the conditions of his release.
Receives £350 speeding fine
McGregor is fined £350 for driving at 98mph in a 60mph zone. McGregor had initially been reprimanded by Judge Walsh for not appearing on time, the third time he had failed to show. Walsh:
I have to ask you the question… how much to you earn? Please don’t tell me you earn more than €110 million in a day?
McGregor:
€140 million…I got the fixed charge notice and attempted to pay it…It didn’t pay and that’s it.
Walsh:
That’s not it…I would warn, however, despite your fortune in life, that you take cognisance of other people on the roads.
McGregor is given the option to pay the fine in installments.
McGregor to fight Mayweather in 8-ounce gloves
The Nevada State Athletic Commission votes to allow the McGregor-Mayweather fight to take place using 8-ounce gloves — a first of its kind in boxing. McGregor believes the drop in glove size is to his advantage:
I am very pleased with the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s handling of my next bout today. Fair play was kept all the way through. Referee – Hall of famer Robert Byrd. Judges – Burt Clements. Dave Morreti and Guido Cavalerri. 8oz gloves approved, with pre and post fight analysis of the gloves on the night. This was handled very well and very fairly by the NSAC. I am very pleased and respect the commissions ruling on this. Ten days until fight time.