I solemnly affirm that I, author Carol Denise Mitchell, stand by the integrity of my writing in all my projects, and X's actions of taking down my X account PERMANENTLY hurt. I cried, and then I posted one video after another defending Musk. From inception, I began following the Musk vs. Altman trial with the intentions of supporting Elon Musk. I intimated such to an AFP reporter on the green, crisp lawn of the federal Ronald V. Dellums Courthouse, to that reporter's widened eyes.

The event, Musk vs. Altman—the worldwide OpenAI “who‑betrayed‑who” fighting match—took place a few blocks from my senior penthouse apartment at 1301 Clay Street in downtown Oakland, California. I could see the federal Ronald V. Dellums Courthouse from my floor‑to‑ceiling living room window. I had to report on this trial. And a few days into the trial, I knew Musk was going to lose. The case was a black helium balloon that died a slow, painful death before the nation’s curious eyes. It had overrun the statute of limitations, and there were more problems to come. Shivon Zilis let more air out of that black balloon when she delivered an uninspiring, measured defense, but was overall not a very good witness. Dressed like a black‑on‑black burglar, hair limp, wearing black shades, she undercut Musk’s claim that OpenAI’s leadership deceptively altered the company’s direction behind his back. She further hurt Musk’s interest by looking like a forlorn, isolated, forgotten “baby mama” who testified that she and Musk live together when traveling and share “suburban bliss” family time at her home in Austin, Texas. Moreover, she detailed that Musk was eager to enter into a for‑profit agreement as early as 2017—provided he was given control of the company, according to NBC Bay Area.

The compilation of pins that dropped on this case, along with the contradictions of Musk’s own premise for filing this matter, was beguiling. As a secure, independent writer, I would be mad too were I in a losing camp of miscreants who did not appear to have my back. This form of writing transparency and quoting the truth is supported by the facts of the case. Musk was not as serious to the jury as Sam Altman appeared to be. Musk’s unkempt bedroom hair on day one of his testimony had people on TikTok creating memes on how bad his hair was. He attempted to excoriate Sam Altman, who in contrast came to court dressed well. Chagrined by what appeared to be Musk’s lack of interest in his own case, an overwhelming sense of sorrow besieged me. I went home after the first week of the trial and trashed my own book. “I can’t do this anymore if Musk loses,” I told a friend. She read twenty pages of chicken scratch I had not even typed into the computer. “This is good,” she said. Next, she grabbed the gold doorknob leading into the hallway. She bit into a Granny green apple. “Real good,” she finished. I had already balled up the lined notes in my hand. Musk’s own behavior almost ended my book before it began.

That night, my heart was no longer interested in going to court each day to watch a train wreck. A few days later, when I learned Musk had joined Trump for a trip to China—a trip that conflicted with the closing arguments of his lawsuit against OpenAI—as an Oakland native, I knew this case was over for Musk. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzales Rogers had placed Musk on “recall status.” The billionaire was required to remain available to return to the stand to testify if needed. It was OMG for me. With no permission from the judge, Musk was seen with Lil’ X taking photo shoots in China. As soon as I saw his lead counsel apologizing to the jury for Musk’s absence during closing arguments, it was game over for me.

Moreover, I began writing this book as if I never was a Musk fan. The truth led me on the trajectory of losing my X account, which happened on June 16, 2026. Who am I? Why should anyone care? I stand by the truth. If losing my X account permanently is the consequence of writing a book based on facts, so be it. The truth in life has not always protected me in the past. Actually, I have more living years behind me than ahead. My integrity in writing Bestseller, OpenAI Oakland’s Seat at the Table, is intact. I want to end by wiping away the tears. I’d not ever compromise the truth to fit into someone’s niche. Granted, I did too much tweeting, and I may have broken the X posting rules, but I am a freelancer. What else was I supposed to do?

As a well‑respected creator of prose and truth, my work should reflect integrity—not blue check marks and X followers. History will judge me by my hard work. Nothing in this life can be sustained by being the most popular. My book OpenAI Oakland’s Seat at the Table made it through the storm. As soon as she makes it to Arizona’s Burton Barr Library, you will see my first highest fist pump. I don’t need X to go to the moon. OpenAI Oakland’s Seat at the Table hit its highest mark at #7 on Amazon in the tough category of Media & Law. That’s a win for me.