Musk attorneys say Twitter stalling on document production

DOVER, Del. (AP) — Attorneys for billionaire Elon Musk are complaining that Twitter is slow-walking document production in advance of an October trial to decide whether the Tesla CEO should be forced to complete a $44 billion acquisition of the social media company.

Musk’s lawyers also said in a court filing Tuesday that Twitter Inc. attorneys have refused to consent to a proposed Oct. 17 trial date and are insisting on an Oct. 10 trial start, using the uncertainty over a trial date to delay other scheduling discussions.

Attorneys for Musk claimed that Twitter’s proposed case schedule is “an obvious attempt to squeeze defendants” after a Delaware Chancery Court judge agreed last week to hold an expedited trial in a lawsuit filed by Twitter.

“Given the compressed timeframe, guidance from the court is necessary to break the impasse to allow things to move forward promptly,” attorney Edward Micheletti wrote in asking Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick to grant Musk’s proposed case schedule.

“Defendants’ efforts to make sure this case is trial-ready by October, have not been reciprocated by Twitter, who at every turn has sought to delay,” he added.

A spokesman for Twitter said the company had no comment on Tuesday's court filing.

Musk agreed in April to buy Twitter and take it private, offering $54.20 a share and vowing to loosen the company’s policing of content and to root out fake accounts. As part of the deal, Musk and Twitter had agreed to pay each other a $1 billion breakup fee if either was responsible for the deal collapsing.

Twitter shares were trading Tuesday afternoon at $39.24, well off a 52-week high of $71.92.

Musk, the world’s richest man, indicated earlier this month that he wants to back away from the deal, prompting Twitter to file a lawsuit to...