House Democrats Launch Probe into Elon Musk's 'Conflict of Interest'

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Newsweek

Published May 05, 2025 at 11:10 AM EDT


Elon Musk is the target of new conflict of interest questions from Democratic members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Specifically, they asked key figures in the Trump administration whether Musk, who currently heads up the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), had any "conflicts of interest" or "liabilities" including ties to hostile foreign powers. They also asked about "illegal drug" use and government contracts.

The Democrats have written letters to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, FBI Director Kash Patel, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and White House Chief of Staff Susan Wiles requesting information about Musk. Newsweek contacted Musk for comment via the Tesla and SpaceX press offices on Monday by email outside of regular office hours.

Why It Matters

Following his second presidential inauguration on January 20, Trump appointed Tech billionaire Musk, a close political ally during the 2024 presidential election, to head up DOGE. The advisory department was tasked with slashing what its founders regarded as wasted government spending and oversaw a substantial reduction in the federal headcount, though this was later partially overturned by the courts. The fresh letters demonstrate a Democratic desire to keep both Musk and Trump under pressure amidst ongoing controversy about the Tesla and SpaceX CEO's influence within the administration.

What To Know

A press release, published by Democrats on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on May 1, said they had written to Hegseth, Wiles, Gabbard and Patel "demanding information about Elon Musk's ties to foreign governments like China and Russia, Musk's growing treasure chest of government contracts awarded to his companies, the history of his drug use, and potential liabilities that would make him vulnerable to coercion and corruption." Hegseth, Wiles, Gabbard and Patel were all asked to provide any relevant documents to the committee members by May 15, 2025, at the latest.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/house-democrats-launch-probe-elon-musks-conflict-interest-2068031

[FirstLight]

1. ya THINK....?!?

Why didn't they start this 100 days ago?

I'm sorry, not trying to bash Dems, but THIS is the kind of stuff we take for granted. We THINK they are on top of it, but really???

[BumRushDaShow]

2. "Why didn't they start this 100 days ago?"

Because none of the people they are demanding info from were confirmed "100 days ago".

Plus the extent of conflicts of interest only started getting revealed near the end of February - Bombshell Report Reveals How Much Money Elon Musk Got From Government

[FBaggins]

4. The actual answer is "they aren't really even doing it now"

This is just a press release saying that they are not happy. There's no actual congressional "probe" or "investigation"

They've written a couple sternly-worded letters asking for responses/information... but they have no power to compel it.

As the article admits at the end - "It is unclear whether any of Hegseth, Wiles, Gabbard and Patel plan to reply to the Democratic committee members' letter. The members' powers to compel documents are weakened as they are only a minority of the committee and don't have the support of any Republican members."

[BumRushDaShow]

7. "They've written a couple sternly-worded letters asking for responses/information."

I know the "sternly-worded letter" thing has become a joke on DU but after 30+ fucking years in a federal agency, I will tell you that whenever ANY member of Congress sent a "sternly-worded letter" asking for information, the agency was turned upside down with managers from the top down telling employees to "comply" by providing anything we had, and pass it to the supervisors up the line (often printed out/photocopied stuff). When we finally got computers and email, it came through "All Employees" emails. Someone would then compile it and usually shipped boxes of stuff down to D.C.

This happened during the 6 Presidents I worked under and it was regardless of who was "in the majority" in Congress.

We might have a rogue government in at this point but this cavalier dismissal of Congressional requests on DU just shows abject ignorance.

[FirstLight]

8. I don't think it's ignorance, but I certainly don't think that this administration is honoring any words from Democrats

Nobody's handing anything over ... We are yelling at the void. I guess the only way to effect change is Judicial....or violent

[BumRushDaShow]

10. The "ignorance"

is on the part of DU.

As I noted, despite this rogue administration and its refusal to recognize the authorities of the 3 branches of government, its general violations of federal law, and complete mishandling of administrative procedures, in the past, Congressional inquiries WERE distributed within agencies and employees were told to submit whatever they may have had that was responsive.

I.e., these were taken seriously.

The DU sentiment has been that they are a "joke" and always have been and that is false.

How forthcoming the appointee level people were (depending on what information was asked), may have been hither and yon, which in some cases, may have then required a subpoena (and in this highly partisan era, the minority party getting that would be almost impossible). But should we actually take a chamber at some future date (if there are any future elections), then we can go that next step. You only have the tiny few like a Bannon or a Navarro who completely blow off requests and subpoenas. MOST comply - at least with something.

[FBaggins]

11. Except it isn't a congressional request

Congress acts (whether directly or indirectly) through majority votes.

I find it hard to believe that you aren't aware of dozens of occasions where a member of the minority raised a stink the next time the agency or individual was up for questioning because there had been no response to their request.

[BumRushDaShow]

12. "Except it isn't a congressional request"

The Democrats have written letters to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, FBI Director Kash Patel, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and White House Chief of Staff Susan Wiles requesting information about Musk.

You can read, right?

The INFORMATION being requested (whatever does get received) is THEN used for further requests - perhaps to underlings like "aides" and/or "deputies/assistants", etc. That can be used towards planning future hearings and those hearings, along any written responses, interviews, testimony, etc., is used for drafting and marking up legislation.

I find it hard to believe that folks don't know how a "bill becomes a law". Maybe this now 50 year old "lesson" will help -

[2naSalit]

3. Shouldn't it be...

Conflicts of interest? Seems like there's a pile of them.

[Karasu]

9. THIS. Running ONE corporation is a conflict of interest. He owns a lot more than that.

Though granted, this administration is filled with billionaires and business people in general, and the GOP shitcanned the emoluments clause 9 years ago, so it definitely feels like this is happening too late. Still, better late than never, I suppose.

[Owens]

5. This is a pathetic attempt at action

You think the Trump Regime is going to investigate Elon? Right

[Martin68]

6. Those quotes around conflict of interest are an editing error.