Elon Musk Hit With First Formal Conflict Of Interest Complaint Over FAA-Starlink Deal [View all]

Source: Forbes

The Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint Thursday with the inspector general overseeing the Department of Transportation, which asks the IG to investigate Musk’s involvement with the FAA deal and whether it ran afoul of federal law.

Federal law prohibits any government employees—including “special government employees” like Musk—from “participat[ing] personally and substantially” in any “particular matter[s]” in which the employee, their spouse, their companies or other business partners have any “financial interest,” with any “willful” violations being punishable by up to five years in prison or fines of up to $50,000 per offense.

The CLC raised concerns based on public reporting regarding the FAA deal—in which the agency is reportedly working with Starlink on improvements to its air traffic control systems—with the complaint citing a Washington Post report saying the FAA was “close to canceling” its existing $2.4 billion contract with Verizon in favor of working with Starlink, a division of Musk’s company SpaceX, as well as public comments from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy saying Starlink would “play some part” in upgrades to the agency’s systems.

Musk “appears to have personally and substantially participated” in the dealings around the FAA and Starlink, the CLC alleges, citing the billionaire’s known role overseeing DOGE.

Read more: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2025/03/13/elon-musk-hit-with-first-formal-conflict-of-interest-complaint-over-faa-starlink-deal/