It only took two months, but Elon Musk is finally facing his first formal conflict of interest complaint

Two months. That’s how long it took for someone to finally say, “Hang on, maybe the guy running multiple billion-dollar companies while also moonlighting as a government official might be a problem.”

Now, the first formal complaint has landed, and it’s a big one. A watchdog group has stepped up to accuse Elon Musk of crossing a very bright ethical line. At issue is a potential multibillion-dollar switcheroo where the Federal Aviation Administration might ditch their existing telecommunications provider in favor of – wouldn’t you know it – Musk’s Starlink system. The complaint argues that Musk has been personally involved in nudging this deal along while wearing his “special government employee” hat.

Conveniently, this deal could pump billions of dollars into Starlink’s coffers — and Musk’s personal fortune. Federal rules are pretty clear about conflicts of interest. If you’re a government employee, even in a part-time or advisory role, you’re not supposed to get involved in decisions that could benefit you financially. Yet, according to the complaint, Musk did exactly that. The FAA was reportedly on the verge of canceling a $2.4 billion contract with Verizon in favor of Starlink.

The Inspector General’s Office (OIG) will have to review the complaint to determine if there is sufficient evidence to warrant a formal investigation into Musk’s actions. However, the OIG’s findings do not carry legal weight; for Musk to face any penalties, he would need to be formally indicted on criminal charges or face a civil lawsuit from the Justice Department — which we know won’t happen.

This complaint is just the tip of the iceberg in what appears to be a systematic effort to remove anyone daring to investigate Musk’s business empire. Musk’s brain-chip startup, Neuralink, had been under scrutiny from the FDA for months, with concerns about its safety and animal testing practices. Musk reportedly fired FDA staff who were reviewing the project. Tesla, Musk’s flagship electric vehicle company, hasn’t been free from controversy either.

Over the past year, more than 300 consumer complaints about Tesla were filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), ranging from allegations of deceptive advertising to faulty vehicle performance. Musk publicly lashed out at the CFPB, going as far as to tweet, “Delete CFPB.”  Now under Trump, the CFPB’s Washington headquarters was effectively shuttered, and its staff and contractors were instructed to cease work.

The pattern repeats across government with the precision of a SpaceX launch schedule (pre-explosion era). In 2023, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) initiated an investigation into the distribution of Starlink satellite terminals to the Ukrainian government. But before the investigation could gain traction, the USAID Inspector General was abruptly fired. The agency itself has been “restructured,” with its operations significantly downsized.

Much like with USAID, the USDA’s Inspector General, a 22-year veteran of the agency, was abruptly escorted out of her office by security guards. In 2022, the USDA launched an investigation into Neuralink for potential violations of the Animal Welfare Act.

Let’s not forget the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) — all of which have, in their own ways, been tossed under Musk’s speeding Tesla. EPA regulators who dared enforce Clean Air Act violations at Tesla’s Fremont facility — documenting hazardous waste mishandling that contradicted the company’s green image — watched their Inspector General getting the boot. Meanwhile, the SEC dared to sue Musk for misleading shareholders about his Twitter stock purchases back in 2022. 

Musk responded by calling the SEC a “broken organization.” Naturally, Trump vowed to fire SEC Chair Gary Gensler, and Gensler conveniently resigned before the ax could fall. When Congress asked the Office of Government Ethics to investigate these very conflicts? That director was promptly sacked as well. For now, Musk might enjoy playing the role of untouchable oligarch, but the wheels of justice, though slow, are relentless.