Democrats demand probe into Musk over White House Tesla event

• Democratic senators are calling for an investigation into Elon Musk for potentially violating federal ethics laws. The senators said Musk’s participation in a Tesla promotional event with President Trump at the White House violated rules prohibiting product endorsements by federal employees. 
• The event featured Trump checking out multiple Tesla models with the intention of buying one.
• The law states federal employees cannot endorse a product using their position, title or any authority associated with their office.

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Democratic senators are calling on the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) to investigate Elon Musk for potentially violating federal ethics laws. The senators said Musk’s participation in a Tesla promotional event with President Donald Trump at the White House violated rules prohibiting endorsements by federal employees. 

“By promoting Tesla during an official press conference with the President while using the White House as a backdrop, Mr. Musk appeared to leverage his senior role in the government and the authority associated with the presidency to recommend Tesla and to imply that the Trump Administration endorses Tesla vehicles,” the senators wrote in a letter to the OGE. 

Sens. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., signed the letter. 

The event featured multiple Tesla models that the president was checking out with the intention of buying one. The president said he bought a Cybertruck for his granddaughter. Trump also discussed features like full self-driving and noted the Model 3 can be purchased for as low as $35,000. 

Federal law prohibits government employees from using their office for personal gain. The senators contend that the law applies to Musk as a special government employee and senior advisor to the president.

The law states that employees cannot endorse a product using their position, title or any authority associated with their office. They also cannot imply that the government sanctions or endorses their personal activities. In addition, the lawmakers said the event may have violated a provision in the law that prohibits the use of government property for unauthorized purposes. 

Violations of ethics rules can result in disciplinary action, including suspension or removal from office. However, that’s highly unlikely because even if OGE determines Musk committed a violation, Trump would have to remove him. 

A White House spokesperson told The Hill that the president made a personal decision to buy a Tesla at a market rate.