Dan Gilbert
Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert takes a shot at Gov. Rick Snyder on national TV.
Gilbert criticized the governor Wednesday for signing a law that blocks Silicon Valley automaker Tesla Motors from directly selling cars to consumers in Michigan, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Gilbert, who was guest-hosting CNBC's "Squawk Box," said Snyder's action "sends a bad message" about the influence of lobbyists in lawmaking, the Freep reported.
"To me you have to have a philosophy and you have to stick to it and you can't let your personal circumstances compromise that," Gilbert said.
State lawmakers passed legislation blocking Tesla Motors Inc. from selling its electric cars in Michigan directly instead of through a franchised car dealership like other car companies. Snyder waited several days before signing the bill into law this week.
Michigan is the fifth state to keep Tesla from selling cars directly to consumer, Reuters says . It joins Texas, New Jersey, Arizona and Maryland.
Gilbert also took a shot at the powerful dealer lobby for battling Tesla, saying: "Why don't you man up and compete like everybody else does?"
