Musk Faces New Scrutiny After Midterms
Democratic leaders in Congress plan to investigate government contracts awarded to Musk's companies during his time leading the Department of Government Efficiency.
By Anthony Lawson ·
Elon Musk spent more than $200 million to support Republican candidates in Texas during the recent midterm elections. Despite that financial backing, Democrats won every statewide office in the state. The loss leaves Musk without a friendly political guard in his home state as Congress shifts to Democratic control.
Federal filings show Musk gave over $445 million to Republican candidates and political groups this year. He is now the top donor in the midterms. With a Democratic majority in both the House and the Senate, lawmakers intend to look closely at the billions of dollars in government contracts his companies received since President Trump returned to office.
The central focus of the upcoming inquiries is whether Musk used his position to benefit his own businesses. During the four months he led the Department of Government Efficiency, his companies received at least $6.3 billion in new government contracts. The Democracy Defenders Fund reports that his companies have gained at least another $10 billion in contracts since he left that role.
Rep. James Walkinshaw of Virginia called the situation a moment of accountability on social media. He stated that the DOGE chickens are coming home to roost. He said Musk must answer for his actions under oath after firing public servants and misrepresenting savings to the public.
Democratic lawmakers also plan to examine Musk's foreign connections. Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware cited Musk's links to Russian President Vladimir Putin as a key area for inquiry. Rep. Mike Levin of California noted that Musk restricted Starlink service to Ukraine days after the U.S. eased sanctions on Russia in October. Levin asked how Musk could disrupt an ally's military operations while maintaining a line to the Kremlin.
Richard Painter, a former White House ethics lawyer, said Musk was subject to federal laws against conflicts of interest while serving as a special government employee. Painter noted that SpaceX is a major contractor for NASA and the Department of Defense. He said touching matters that would impact SpaceX during that time could constitute a crime.
Texas remains the hub of Musk's business empire. Tesla, SpaceX, X, Neuralink, and The Boring Company are all headquartered in the state. Musk directed at least $225 million of his election spending to Texas to support Ken Paxton and Greg Abbott. Both Republicans lost their bids for office. James Talarico, who defeated Paxton, said in his victory speech that power belongs to the people. Musk posted on social media that his election-interfering space lasers did not work this time.
