Exclusive: Elon Musk quits Zuckerberg's immigration advocacy group

[bananas]

Source: Reuters

Billionaire environmentalist Elon Musk has quit a Silicon Valley advocacy group formed by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg after the group funded ads for senators touting their support for an oil pipeline and oil drilling in Alaska.

<snip>

The ads were focused not on immigration but rather on the senator's general positions, including one's support for the Keystone XL pipeline, which has created a backlash among some progressive groups. Backers say the pipeline project would boost North American energy security and provide thousands of construction jobs. Opponents argue that it would lead to higher releases of greenhouse gases.

The spots quickly drew the ire of liberal and environmental groups, including the Sierra Club and MoveOn.org, who earlier this week pledged to pull ads from Facebook for two weeks.

<snip>

David Sacks, founder of business networking site Yammer and a former colleague of Musk's at payment service PayPal, also dropped off the list of the FWD.us backers on Friday. FWD.us spokeswoman Kate Hansen earlier confirmed that a second funder had withdrawn support but declined to elaborate. Sacks did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/10/net-us-usa-immigration-technology-idUSBRE94910K20130510

[bananas]

1. Elon Musk and David Sacks Depart Fwd.us, Mark Zuckerberg’s Political Action Group

http://allthingsd.com/20130510/elon-musk-and-david-sacks-depart-fwd-us-mark-zuckerbergs-political-action-group/?mod=atd_homepage_carousel

Elon Musk and David Sacks Depart Fwd.us, Mark Zuckerberg’s Political Action Group
MAY 10, 2013 AT 3:53 PM PT
Mike Isaac

<snip>

Musk made it clear that his departure was related to the PAC’s support of certain politicians whose positions on immigration reform and education jibed with the group’s aims, but whose record on environmental issues had come under fire.

“I agreed to support Fwd.us because there is a genuine need to reform immigration. However, this should not be done at the expense of other important causes,” Musk said in a statement to AllThingsD. “I have spent a lot of time fighting far larger lobbying organizations in D.C. and believe that the right way to win on a cause is to argue the merits of that cause. This statement may surprise some people, but my experience is that most (not all) politicians and their staffs want to do the right thing and eventually do.”

<snip>

Sacks founded enterprise social network Yammer (sold to Microsoft in 2012) and was the creator financier and producer of “Thank You For Smoking,” a 2005 film that satirizes the life of a tobacco company spokesman “who spins on behalf of cigarettes while trying to remain a role model for his 12-year-old son,” according to the film’s IMDB description.

<snip>

[Trajan]

2. A very rational decision ..

Elon scores some decent credibility points with this action ... good for him ....

[longship]

3. I am liking Musk more every day.

Plus he's got a rocket ship, too.

[AverageJoe90]

7. I always liked him myself. n/t

[Zorro]

13. And an electric car company

Of course he's not going to support an oil pipeline.

[backscatter712]

15. We need more Musks and fewer Zuckerbergs and Kochs. n/t

[Voice for Peace]

4. Hoping Zuckerberg's pipeline support is only because he is young naive & misinformed..

even though he's a genius gazillionaire..
he doesn't have kids yet, he's not looking at their world yet.

[RedstDem]

8. i wouldn't elevate suckerburg to genius

genius is a class for people like Einstein, not zucky boo boo.

and don't he have his own coin?, why does he need donors?

[MjolnirTime]

11. He's also a big Chris Christie fan.

[backscatter712]

17. Zuckerberg is a little sociopath.

He makes his business by gleefully exploiting people. The ends justify the means, and the end for him is money.

Zuckerberg seems like a classic Ayn Rand groupie.

[DotGone]

27. Suck IS a Randroid

He is a disciple of that shithead Peter Thiel after all. Thiel's little shit got lucky and now thinks he's Gawd's gift to the world and everyone should lay prostrate before him and his stupid ideas.

[PasadenaTrudy]

18. Maybe he

won't even have kids. If he has any concern for the future of this planet he won't!

[blkmusclmachine]

5. So Zuckerberg has turned ?

Or shown his true colors ?

Good for Mr. Musk.

IMHO.

[AverageJoe90]

6. Can't say I blame him.

In fact, I gotta give this guy major credit for standing up for what he believes in....he deserves that at the very least, IMHO.

[Kolesar]

9. Sierra Club's been busting on Zuck on their FB feed every day for weeks

Kick ass

[MjolnirTime]

10. Zuckerberg's a Repig. Good for Elon.

[B Stieg]

12. I can't believe my high school could graduate a jerk like Zuckerberg.

No more annual giving for them!

[mimi85]

24. Ack, didn't mean to hit return!

I suppose I could look it up on wiki or google, just don't feel like it now.

Take care, Jennifer

[Sunlei]

14. very disapointed Zuckerberg is PAC ing $$$ for a toxic sludge pipeline to sell refined to china.

Think he would do something positive towards ALL Americans, like build schools or community hospitals instead of handing $$ over to private interest politicans

[backscatter712]

16. Respect++ for Elon Musk!

That man has vision!

[Dawson Leery]

19. Zuckerberg is a parasite.

His fortune (which is overvalued) is derived from sellling the most intimate details of your life to marketers.

[question everything]

20. No, just a juvenile who still does not know what to do

with all the money that fell into his lap.

Elon Musk is a serious scientist and innovator.

[klook]

26. +1

Don't use FB now, never have, never will -- for exactly this reason.

[GetTheRightVote]

21. It is nice to see someone who has the world by the ba..s

take such a stand. Way to go.

[emsimon33]

22. Good! Zuckerberg is an arrogant ass!

[limpyhobbler]

23. awesome. I love it. nt

[gateley]

25. Right on!