Judging Freedom - Musk Pushes to Buy Twitter
Episode Date: October 4, 2022Elon Musk Proposes Closing Twitter Deal on Original Terms An agreement would allow the social-media company and the billionaire to avert a high-stakes trial that was set to start soon https:/.../www.wsj.com/articles/elon-mus... #Musk #elonMusk #twitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Hi, everyone.
Judge Andrew Napolitano here for Judging Freedom.
Today is Tuesday, October 4th, 2022.
It's about 1.20 in the afternoon here on the East Coast of the
United States. We have just learned that Elon Musk, that Elon Musk has apparently had enough
of his own litigation to persuade a judge in Delaware to abrogate the contract he signed
with Twitter to buy Twitter. In other words, he's going to withdraw his complaint and the litigation will be over
if Twitter will sell him all their shares at the original agreed-to price.
So just by way of background, after hemming and hawing, going back and forth and on again and off again,
Twitter and Musk agreed that he would acquire 100% of the shares
of Twitter for $54.20 a share, which comes to, are you ready for this, $44 billion in cash.
He then began making noises like he didn't want to do it. He wanted to change his mind.
He changed his mind because he claimed that Twitter had
phantom accounts, that they weren't as wealthy as they said they were. And then Twitter sued him
to force him to comply with the contract, and the judge started a rule against him. I misspoke a few
seconds ago when I said he would withdraw his complaint. It is not his complaint. It is Twitter's complaint. He would offer to settle the litigation with Twitter by paying the $44 billion
in cash, which is apparently what he has now offered to do just a few minutes ago today,
Tuesday, October 4th. If he does, and if Twitter accepts this, this of course will be probably the largest
financial acquisition by one company of another for cash in American history because it's $44
billion. I don't know where he's going to get $44 billion in cash. He's worth a lot more than that,
but his worth is not sitting in cash somewhere. But knowing Mr. Musk, having met him a number of times
in my prior life at Fox News, I'm going to guess that he has this $44 million ready to go. And if
Twitter says yes, and if the judge in Delaware says yes, and if the case is over, they'll sign
the settlement agreement and a check for $44 billion will be on its way
to the chief financial officer of Twitter to distribute to shareholders. Now, if I may get
a little personal, Mr. Musk, we have met. I'm a big fan of yours. I love your libertarian instincts.
I would love to be your chief content officer. You know my brain. I wouldn't censor anything. That's the whole
purpose of your buying Twitter, so everybody from Donald Trump to Bernie Sanders can say
whatever they want, whenever they want, however they want to say it. This is a great gift to the
American public if you acquire Twitter, because we will have a true marketplace of ideas
without sanction, without fear, without favor. I'm here for you, Mr. Musk.
Justin Napolitano, judging freedom.