Oil lobby group head buys a Tesla

The head of the U.S. Oil & Gas Association has purchased a Tesla, a move in solidarity with the electric vehicle company headed by Elon Musk, who is facing fierce backlash from progressives over his work with the Trump administration. 

USOGA President Tim Stewart told Fox Business that he purchased the Tesla Model 3 last week.

“More than anything – yes, it was my way of protesting against the protesters,” he said, referring to the mass protests against the company and Musk over his work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is charged with eliminating wasteful spending and downsizing the federal government.

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A Tesla Model 3 at the company’s store in Palo Alto, California, US, on Tuesday, Jan 28, 2025. Tesla Inc. is scheduled to release earnings figures on January 29. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

“A lot of Americans are viewing a veritable army of morons protesting requiring greater efficiency and accountability of a bloated and unaccountable federal government which for decades has never been held to a standard of accountability or efficiency,” Stewart said. “And when someone like the Musk team shines a light on what is really happening – they squeal like a stuck pig.”

“So while they are getting paid to wave signs and chant their printed outchants – I counter protested by opening my wallet,” he added.

Thousands of protesters gathered across the country over the weekend to object to President Donald Trump’s policies and DOGE. More than 1,200 “Hands Off!” rallies took place in all 50 states, most prominently at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and state capitol buildings.

Fox News has previously reported nationwide incidents targeting Tesla electric vehicles, dealerships, storage lots and charging stations.

The FBI warned the public to “exercise vigilance” near the company’s properties, citing incidents in at least nine states that involved arson, gunfire and vandalism, including graffiti expressing grievances against those the perpetrators perceive to be racists, fascists or political opponents.

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The caveat with electric vehicles is that they rely heavily on natural gas for electric generation, Stewart said. 

“And since it will be charged using electricity that is generated by natural gas – it makes sense to give it a shot,” he said. 

The Tesla purchased by Stewart is a red model with full self-driving capability. 

Overall, the purchase experience took four clicks and the home charger and accessories were delivered two days later,” he said. 

Stewart has another electric vehicle that he purchased several years ago. In August 2022, he told Neil Cavuto on “Cavuto Coast-to-Coast” that he had purchased a Volkswagen ID.4.

At the time, he said he would document “how well” the experience goes. It didn’t go well.

“Because our 2022 EV is a colossal piece of German-engineered crap – we can only go up from here,” said Stewart. “I wouldn’t wish it on my second-worst enemy – maybe my first but not my second.”

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Everything from delays in the vehicle’s delivery to supply chain problems with spare parts, to software glitches to a lousy dealer experience has made the purchase a “wholly miserable experience,” he said. 

“The only real value in this experience is being able to complain about it whenever I am on TV,” he added.