Derwin spends big to persuade Elon Musk to ‘Dump Trump’

Any list of entrepreneurs notable for addressing climate change by acting to lower atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases would have to include the name of Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, the hugely successful electric-car manufacturer.

But Mr. Musk, who is also chief executive of Space X and chairman of solar-panel maker Solar City, has not done enough, says Doug Derwin, who says he is willing to spend a lot of money to try to persuade Mr. Musk to distance himself from President Donald Trump.

Mr. Derwin, a San Francisco attorney, venture capitalist, former Portola Valley resident and former husband of Portola Valley Councilwoman Maryann Moise Derwin, says he has spent more than $800,000 of a planned $2 million budget to urge Mr. Musk to leave the president’s panel of business advisers.

“Everyone who fights climate change expresses opposition to Trump,” Mr. Derwin said. “Elon Musk has been utterly silent (and) has given no indication anywhere that he has ever opposed the Trump climate change agenda.”

Mr. Derwin launched a website, elondumptrump.com, in a campaign to give Tesla owners and would-be owners a platform to express themselves.

“I know there are lot of Tesla owners who don’t like Trump,” Mr. Derwin said. “Even the Republicans hate him.” Mr. Derwin’s inspiration: the “Delete Uber” campaign that led to the departure from that same advisory panel of Travis Kalanick, chief executive of the ride-sharing giant Uber.

Asked for a comment, Tesla replied with a statement. “It’s quite ironic that the reason being given for attacking Elon is to help the environment,” the statement said. “Tesla’s entire reason for existing is to accelerate the advent of sustainable energy. If someone wants to spend money to promote a pro-environment objective, we can think of better ways to do that than attacking the people who are most committed to that very purpose. Mr. Derwin believes those who want a more sustainable future should not have a seat at the table. We obviously disagree.”

Blood money

Of the “Elon: Dump Trump” website’s five video testimonials, all but one — by Mr. Derwin himself — feature residents of Portola Valley making appeals to Mr. Musk. Three speakers are Tesla owners and two, including Mr. Derwin, are or were on a wait list for a Tesla.

The campaign’s $2 million budget reflects what Mr. Derwin says he made in the stock market after Mr. Trump was elected. “I consider it blood money and will use it to oppose his policies,” he said, adding that he has offered to donate $1 million of it to a charity if Mr. Musk will come out in opposition to Mr. Trump’s climate change policies.

Mr. Derwin said he spent about $25,000 in billboard advertising near sites of companies owned by Mr. Musk, and that new billboards are going up in six cities very soon. He’s spent around $800,000 for full-page ads in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle and The San Jose Mercury News, he said.

In a bid for support from people waiting to buy a Tesla, Mr. Derwin said he is considering using some of the money to refund deposits to those who cancel their orders. “My hope is that it’s not necessary, that there’s enough support from owners and people on the wait list that Musk will respond,” he said.

Mr. Derwin said he canceled his order for a Model S sedan and donated the deposit to the American Civil Liberties Union.

Asked if Mr. Musk would be more effective on Mr. Trump’s advisory panel rather than off it, Mr. Derwin said he might be effective as a “crony capitalist” for staying on the panel. “He’s certainly not being effective at modifying Trump’s policies at all,” he said. “Trump’s policies are as bad as they possibly could be. … If Mr. Musk is trying to have an effect, he’s failing.”

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