President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued subpoenas for billionaire Elon Musk’s electric car company Tesla, according to the company’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing on Monday.
The subpoenas relate to investigations into Tesla’s autonomous driving features and alleged personal benefits distributed to Musk, among other allegations, according to the SEC filing. Musk and his companies have faced numerous investigations from the Biden administration since he took over the social media platform Twitter — now called X — in October 2022.
“The Company has received requests for information, including subpoenas, from the DOJ,” the filing states. “These have included requests for documents related to Tesla’s Autopilot and [Full Self-Driving] features. Additionally, the Company has received requests for information, including subpoenas from the DOJ, regarding certain matters associated with personal benefits, related parties, vehicle range and personnel decisions.”
The personal benefits subpoena could refer to a DOJ investigation into Tesla’s alleged allocation of funds toward a secret project rumored to be a glass house for Musk. The project is reportedly called “Project 42,” and involves the construction of an expansive glass building in the vicinity of Austin, Texas. “I’m not building a house of any kind, let alone a glass one!” Musk posted on X in August.
“To our knowledge no government agency in any ongoing investigation has concluded that any wrongdoing occurred,” Tesla’s SEC filing continues. “We cannot predict the outcome or impact of any ongoing matters. Should the government decide to pursue an enforcement action, there exists the possibility of a material adverse impact on our business, results of operation, prospects, cash flows, financial position or brand.”
Musk suggested the Biden administration or at least “aspects” of it could be coming after him for political reasons on the All-In Podcast in September. He also acknowledged that prosecutions against him likely have escalated to an extent since he purchased X and made it a freer platform.
Tesla also faces a lawsuit from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over alleged racism, according to an announcement by the federal agency in September. Black personnel allegedly experienced numerous instances of racist abuse and derogatory slurs at Tesla’s Fremont, California, manufacturing facilities from at least 2015 until 2023, allegedly allowing it to occur and unlawfully seeking revenge against individuals who pushed back against it.
Furthermore, Musk’s SpaceX faces a lawsuit from the DOJ for allegedly discriminating in its hiring policies by excluding individuals seeking asylum and refugees, according to an August filing.
“I don’t think the whole administration has it out for me,” Musk stated. “But I think there’s probably aspects of the administration … or aspects of interests aligned with President Biden who probably do not wish good things for me.”
Tesla and the DOJ did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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