Ever since Elon Musk bought Twitter, vowing to bring free speech back to the platform, the billionaire has warned that attacks against him will only increase. After a pathetic attempt at a hit piece by The New York Times over his childhood in South Africa, Business Insider is now running with a story about a sexual misconduct claim against Musk.
SpaceX, the aerospace firm founded by Elon Musk, the world's wealthiest man, paid a flight attendant $250,000 to settle a sexual misconduct claim against Musk in 2018, Insider has learned.
The attendant worked as a member of the cabin crew on a contract basis for SpaceX's corporate jet fleet. She accused Musk of exposing his erect penis to her, rubbing her leg without consent, and offering to buy her a horse in exchange for an erotic massage, according to interviews and documents obtained by Insider.
The incident, which took place in 2016, is alleged in a declaration signed by a friend of the attendant and prepared in support of her claim. The details in this story are drawn from the declaration as well as other documents, including email correspondence and other records shared with Insider by the friend.
According to the declaration, the attendant confided to the friend that after taking the flight attendant job, she was encouraged to get licensed as a masseuse so that she could give Musk massages. It was during one such massage in a private cabin on Musk's Gulfstream G650ER, she told the friend, that Musk propositioned her. (Business Insider)
Musk didn’t give Insider much in the way of a response, other than noting there is “a lot more to this story.”
"If I were inclined to engage in sexual harassment, this is unlikely to be the first time in my entire 30-year career that it comes to light," he said, noting the story is a "politically motivated hit piece."
In addition to insisting the accusations are false, he said the reporter already had the story written before reaching out.
No, it was clear that their only goal was a hit price to interfere with the Twitter acquisition. The story was written before they even talked to me.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 20, 2022
But I have a challenge to this liar who claims their friend saw me “exposed” – describe just one thing, anything at all (scars, tattoos, …) that isn’t known by the public. She won’t be able to do so, because it never happened.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 20, 2022
He added that the hit pieces won't stop him and even joked about referring to the alleged scandal as "Elongate."
The attacks against me should be viewed through a political lens – this is their standard (despicable) playbook – but nothing will deter me from fighting for a good future and your right to free speech
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 20, 2022
Finally, we get to use Elongate as scandal name. It’s kinda perfect. ?? https://t.co/qSNH7lsn72
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 20, 2022