Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced on social media that his company had filed a lawsuit against the Alameda County in California. Musk has been critical of the decision by Alameda health officials to keep Tesla's Fremont factory from resuming operations, insisting that county officials are "unelected and ignorant. The Tesla chief also threatened to pull Tesla out of the state.

The suit filed by Tesla in the US District Court in Northern California is seeking an injunction against the shelter-in-place measures being enforced by the Alameda county officials. The argument from automaker claimed the lockdown rules are in contradiction of "the Governor's Order to the extent it restricts the operation of business operating in the federal critical infrastructure sectors."

For his part, Musk tweeted that the restrictions that prevented the Tesla Fremont factory from going online are unconstitutional.

"Tesla is filing a lawsuit against Alameda County immediately ... The unelected and ignorant 'interim Health Officer' of Alameda is acting contrary to the Governor, the President, our Constitutional freedom, and just plain common sense," The Verge reported the maverick CEO as saying.

In effect, Musk is following through on the threats he issued earlier that the lockdown rules in California will force him to relocate his Tesla operations in the state. He had earlier characterized the restrictions, designed and enforced to slow down the spread of the coronavirus, as "fascist and not democratic."

In a statement given to The Verge, the Alameda County said that officials are now in touch with Tesla representatives "to develop and implement a safety plan that allows for reopening while protecting the health and well-being of the thousands of employees who travel to and from work at Tesla's factory."

It was hinted likewise that a deal is forthcoming between Alameda and Tesla for the implementation of an appropriate safety plan, in case the Tesla Fremont factory resumes its manufacturing of vehicles, which was suspended a week after the federal and state governments issued lockdown orders in March.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has earlier indicated that while his office has allowed the resumption of manufacturing activities for certain industries, the order will not supersede the restrictions being enforced at the county level.

In trying to resume its operations this week, Tesla argued that its manufacturing activity is part of critical infrastructure, which the Alameda government has rejected.

According to Fox Business, the statement from the county indicated that while Musk and Alameda officials have been talking on the subject, Tesla was not given the go signal to resume operations.

"We have not given the green light ... We have been working with them...but no, we have not said that we think that it is appropriate for them to move forward," Fox reported an official of the county as saying.

The same report indicated though that if Musk will make true his word of getting out of California, Tesla is welcome to do business in Utah, Nevada, and Georgia.