Tesla Defends Musk’s Take-Private Tweet in Billion-Dollar Suit

Elon Musk’s comments about taking Tesla Inc. private were “aspirational,” not fraudulent, the company argues in asking a judge to throw out a shareholder lawsuit over his infamous tweet from 1 1/2 years ago.

Investors claim the Twitter post on Aug. 7, 2018 -- “Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured” -- was an intentional deception that jolted the electric-car maker’s stock price, causing billions of dollars in losses.

Elon Musk

Photographer: Justin Chin/Bloomberg

A court showdown set for Friday afternoon is one in a series of legal brawls for a controversy-stirring billionaire who has escaped relatively unscathed from the firestorms ...