WATCH: Dems dodge on calling Tesla attacks acts of 'domestic terrorism'

After taking to social media to announce he was ditching his Tesla because it was made by an "a--hole" he claimed is damaging the country, Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., refused to say whether Democrats’ inflammatory rhetoric against Elon Musk is to blame for the ongoing spate of attacks against Tesla owners and dealers across the country.

Kelly also refused to say whether the attacks — some of which have involved shooting at and throwing Molotov cocktails into dealerships — qualify as "domestic terrorism."

The Arizona senator admitted that "it’s certainly vandalism and it’s a crime, a significant crime, especially if you firebomb a car or vandalize somebody’s vehicle, or even key somebody’s vehicle, you shouldn’t be doing it."

While Kelly said those responsible should be tried and prosecuted, pressed by Fox News Digital on whether the attacks qualify as terrorism, he responded, "I think we've got to tread lightly on the whole ‘terrorist’ word."

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"Sometimes trying to expand this thing, it kind of loses its focus," he said. "But when folks are vandalizing people’s vehicles or dealerships, it is wrong and it is dangerous. Somebody’s going to get hurt. For that reason, we should let the full force of law enforcement get to this problem and prosecute it."

There have been at least 80 acts of vandalism against Tesla vehicles in the U.S. and Canada, and at least 10 incidents of vandalism and arson against Tesla dealerships, charging stations and properties. 

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has said the Justice Department is investigating the incidents as "domestic terrorism."

Leading Democrats, however, have been largely silent on the issue, with few being willing to condemn the attacks as acts of terrorism.

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who, in a 2023 CNN interview, accused Republicans who criticized her of engaging in "stochastic terrorism" — that is, incitement of violent political action — also refused to say whether Democrats’ anti-Musk rhetoric should be held responsible for the attacks.

Fox News Digital asked Ocasio-Cortez whether she sees a connection between language against Musk and the violent incidents across the nation.

Cortez began to answer, saying, "Yeah, I mean, again, I’ve seen Republicans call me ‘communist’ and that I ‘hate this country,’" before trailing off.

Meanwhile, Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., refused to label the attacks as even violent, saying, "While I have no opinion on what’s been going on, I actually haven’t been following that much, but let’s be precise about our language — ‘violence’ is against human beings."

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Asked about Democrats’ rhetoric, Lee said it is important to "recognize the difference between the frustration of people that is maybe organic, but also the language that is coming from people who are in power."

"Donald Trump is in power and he’s abusing that and it’s going to harm people and has already," she said. "Because of the rhetoric from the administration, because of the rhetoric from the right, we’re seeing American citizens being picked up, we’re seeing a lot of profiling that’s happening, I think that that’s incredibly dangerous and again those are being perpetrated against people."

Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., also attempted to turn the question around, saying President Donald Trump "in effect… told people to resort to violence" at his rally on Jan. 6, 2021.

Hoyer said he discourages anyone from resorting to violence but advocated for peaceful ways of telling Trump and Musk "how angry we are."

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"Effectively, he [Musk] and Trump are both trying to profit from being president. And this is unheard of what Musk is doing," said Hoyer.

"I’m opposed to all violence, beginning with the Jan. 6th insurrection," Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., told Fox News Digital.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, who has been warned by Bondi to "tread lightly" after seeming to threaten Musk by calling for him to be "taken down," refused to answer the question, while her security got into the face of the Fox News Digital reporter.

Republicans, in the meantime, hammered that the attacks are obvious examples of terrorism.

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"I think it’s awful, they need to bust their a--," said Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn. "Elon doesn’t even own a majority share of it anymore. All you’re doing is hurting Americans."

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Rep. Addison McDowell, R-N.C., pointed out that "when we boycotted Bud Light over their support over these radical issues, we didn’t just say, ‘We’re going to burn down Bud Light manufacturers.’ We just didn’t buy it." 

"What you see these woke, radical liberals doing to a car they used to want championed, is lighting them on fire, destroying property, that’s not how adults behave," McDowell said, adding, "they’re behaving like criminals."