- by foxnews
- 08 Apr 2025
The Arizona senator admitted that "it's certainly vandalism and it's a crime, a significant crime, especially if you firebomb a car or vandalize somebody's vehicle, or even key somebody's vehicle, you shouldn't be doing it."
While Kelly said those responsible should be tried and prosecuted, pressed by Fox News Digital on whether the attacks qualify as terrorism, he responded, "I think we've got to tread lightly on the whole 'terrorist' word."
"Sometimes trying to expand this thing, it kind of loses its focus," he said. "But when folks are vandalizing people's vehicles or dealerships, it is wrong and it is dangerous. Somebody's going to get hurt. For that reason, we should let the full force of law enforcement get to this problem and prosecute it."
There have been at least 80 acts of vandalism against Tesla vehicles in the U.S. and Canada, and at least 10 incidents of vandalism and arson against Tesla dealerships, charging stations and properties.
Leading Democrats, however, have been largely silent on the issue, with few being willing to condemn the attacks as acts of terrorism.
Fox News Digital asked Ocasio-Cortez whether she sees a connection between language against Musk and the violent incidents across the nation.
Cortez began to answer, saying, "Yeah, I mean, again, I've seen Republicans call me 'communist' and that I 'hate this country,'" before trailing off.
Meanwhile, Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., refused to label the attacks as even violent, saying, "While I have no opinion on what's been going on, I actually haven't been following that much, but let's be precise about our language - 'violence' is against human beings."
Asked about Democrats' rhetoric, Lee said it is important to "recognize the difference between the frustration of people that is maybe organic, but also the language that is coming from people who are in power."
Hoyer said he discourages anyone from resorting to violence but advocated for peaceful ways of telling Trump and Musk "how angry we are."
"Effectively, he [Musk] and Trump are both trying to profit from being president. And this is unheard of what Musk is doing," said Hoyer.
Republicans, in the meantime, hammered that the attacks are obvious examples of terrorism.
Rep. Addison McDowell, R-N.C., pointed out that "when we boycotted Bud Light over their support over these radical issues, we didn't just say, 'We're going to burn down Bud Light manufacturers.' We just didn't buy it."
"What you see these woke, radical liberals doing to a car they used to want championed, is lighting them on fire, destroying property, that's not how adults behave," McDowell said, adding, "they're behaving like criminals."
Archaeologists have recently unearthed the remarkably well-preserved remains of a dog from ancient Rome, shedding light on the widespread practice of ritual sacrifice in antiquity.
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