Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, faced backlash in December for his comments on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Civil rights groups, LatinoJustice and the National Institute for Workers’ Rights, are now calling for the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) to divest from Tesla due to its values being misaligned. This push comes after Musk’s statement that promoting diversity is as morally wrong as racism. The groups cited Tesla’s settlement with a Black former employee who accused the company of racial discrimination as evidence of its troubling values.
CalPERS, one of Tesla’s largest shareholders, is reviewing the letter from the civil rights groups. The pension fund has a history of divesting from companies for various reasons, but divesting from Tesla may prove challenging given its significant holdings. Other divestment campaigns, such as those targeting fossil fuel companies, have also failed in the past.
In other news, California is in the midst of a prolonged election season, with ballots being counted over several weeks after Election Day. Additionally, Republican Steve Garvey has outraised Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff in the U.S. Senate race, while a ballot measure to limit forced prison labor is facing opposition despite broad public support.
Overall, the political landscape in California is complex and nuanced, with various issues and challenges at play as the state prepares for the upcoming election.
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Photo credit calmatters.org
