Dem senator who ditched Tesla to protest Musk refuses to call violence against cars ‘domestic terrorism’

FIRST ON FOX: Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, who ditched his Tesla last month, refused to label recent violence at Tesla dealerships in protest of Elon Musk’s DOGE efforts as “domestic terrorism,” a term that has been used by Republicans and the Justice Department. 

“Certainly vandalism and it’s a crime,” Kelly told Fox News Digital when asked if the violence at Tesla dealerships in response to DOGE amounted to terrorism.

“It’s a significant crime, especially if you’re going to firebomb a car or vandalize somebody’s vehicle or even key somebody’s vehicle. They shouldn’t be doing it. And these should be investigated. And if people are caught, they should be prosecuted.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi and Elon Musk have both called the violence “domestic terrorism” in recent weeks.

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Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly declined to use the term “domestic terrorism” to describe violence at Tesla dealerships. (Getty)

When pressed by Fox News Digital on not using the word terrorism, Kelly said, “I think we got to tread lightly on the whole terrorism word.”

“We sometimes try to expand this thing, it kind of loses its focus. But when folks are vandalizing people’s vehicles or dealerships, it is wrong and it’s dangerous. Somebody is going to get hurt. And for that reason, we should put, you know, the full force of law enforcement to this problem and prosecute people.”

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Sen. Mark Kelly attends the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Aug. 20, 2024. (Reuters/Vincent Alban)

While Kelly went further than most top Democrats in condemning the violence, many in the party have faced criticism from conservatives for refusing to use the phrase “domestic terrorism” to describe violent incidents against Tesla, including shots fired at a building, destroyed dealership windows, charging stations and cars set on fire, and vandalism of Tesla cars.

Fox News Digital recently reached out to over a dozen Democrats who previously railed against the dangers of domestic terrorism, asking them if they condemned the Tesla violence. None of the Democrats responded.

Kelly made headlines last month when he announced that he was ditching his personal Tesla because it was “a rolling billboard for a man dismantling our government and hurting people.” 

Kelly added that he believes Musk turned out to be an “a–hole” and later announced that he had switched to a Chevy Tahoe SUV.

Tigard Police investigated two shooting attacks against Tesla. (Tigard Police Department)

The violence against Tesla has spurred outrage on the right as many Democrats remain silent. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., on Tuesday introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives that slams unnamed members of the Democratic Party, who it says, “have made calls for their supporters to incite and engage in domestic terrorism by attacking Tesla vehicles and facilities to protest Elon Musk.”

“The definition of terrorism is the unlawful use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims. That is exactly what has been going on across the country at Tesla dealerships, and it is what innocent Americans who chose Tesla as their preferred vehicle are facing in the wake of violence from Radical Left-Wing domestic terrorists who hate President Donald Trump and Elon Musk,” Boebert told Fox News Digital.

Rep. Lauren Boebert during a House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., on July 22, 2024. (Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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The resolution cites “at least” 80 incidents of arson or vandalism against Tesla vehicles and 10 incidents of vandalism against Tesla dealerships, charging stations and facilities throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Incidents include individuals setting fire to cars and equipment by throwing Molotov cocktails, shooting up buildings and vehicles, and marking private property with words like “Nazi” and “Long Live Ukraine.”

Among the incidents cited by the resolution is the March 18 attack in Las Vegas, in which a person dressed in black shot at Tesla cars at a Tesla collision center, ignited several of them with Molotov cocktails, and spray-painted the word “Resist” on the front doors of the shop.

Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.