Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s office has cited more than 100 occasions on which Elon Musk’s companies appear to have benefited during his time as a “special government employee” running the dubiously named Department of Government Efficiency.
Warren has been one of the most dogged senators in pursuing allegations of rampant corruption within the Trump administration, and the latest report out of her office — “Special Interests Over the Public Interest: Elon Musk’s 130 Days in the Trump Administration” — is a clear extension of those efforts.
The report notes that not every accusation involves potential lawbreaking, saying some of the instances violate established norms. Warren’s office added:
But in other cases, Musk has engaged in action that may have violated the statutory prohibition regarding federal employees’ participation in particular matters in which a government official has a financial interest, laws against bribery and gratuities, or the regulations prohibiting use of one’s government position for private gain.
The report lists some highly public examples of the government seeming to tip the scales in favor of Musk’s companies, including Donald Trump’s conversion of the White House lawn into what was essentially a Tesla showroom, as well as when Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick specifically urged Fox News viewers to buy Tesla stock, a highly unusual — and blatantly unethical — move for a Cabinet official to make, let alone the commerce secretary.
The report also includes other instances, such as Musk and others in the administration reportedly seeking changes at NASA that could benefit his company SpaceX and administration officials pushing for the widespread installation of Musk’s Starlink internet service — whether that’s throughout the White House complex, across federal agencies or in foreign nations that have engaged in trade negotiations.
In a statement to MSNBC received after publication, a White House spokesperson called Warren’s report “toothless” and claimed Musk has done more for Americans than Warren has. The statement did not address any of the allegations in the report. Musk didn’t respond to MSNBC’s requests for comment. The report paints a picture of Musk as a huge financial beneficiary of Trump’s return to the White House — perhaps eclipsing even our unscrupulous president himself. And the apparent benefits of his involvement with the administration may help explain why — despite public suggestions that Musk has parted ways with the White House — it certainly seems like their relationship will continue. This article has been updated to include comment from the White House.
Ja’han Jones is an MS NOW opinion blogger. He previously wrote The ReidOut Blog.
Latest Post
Recommended
