Why would an IG investigate a private company? I thought IG's were internal government watchdogs? It seems to me that any investigation of a private sector company would be conducted by convening a grand jury.
#16 | Posted by BellRinger

FACT SHEET: TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, DOGE PUNISH AGENCIES INVESTIGATING ELON MUSK'S COMPANIES

Several Federal Agencies That Were Investigating Elon Musk's Companies Have Become The Early Targets
Of The Trump Administration And Musk's Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

Department of Labor (DOL): DOL, which oversees the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the
Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), and the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC) had over a dozen open investigations into Tesla and SpaceX regarding alleged unfair
labor practices, safety violations, and discriminatory work practices.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): : Consumers have submitted over 300 complaints about
Elon Musk's Tesla to the CFPB. 66 of these complaints were submitted in the last year.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID): The USAID Inspector General initiated a probe
into Starlink satellite terminals provided to the Government of Ukraine.

Department of Transportation (DOT): DOT, which oversees the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), had several open
investigations into Tesla. FAA had recently ordered SpaceX to carry out a formal investigation into the
loss of a Starship vehicle during a test flight, and previously ordered over $630,000 in civil penalties against SpaceX.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): The USDA Inspector General launched a probe into Elon
Musk's Neuralink in 2022 for potential violations of the Animal Welfare Act. As of January, the
investigation was ongoing.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): EPA regulators have settled multiple lawsuits with Tesla
over violations of the Clean Air Act and hazardous waste laws at the company's automotive manufacturing
plant in Fremont, California.

Federal Election Commission (FEC): The FEC is set to rule on a number of complaints filed during the
2024 election cycle, including complaints pertaining to Musk's America PAC.

Department of the Interior (DOI): DOI oversees the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), which monitors
the federal lands near SpaceX's launch site in Texas for any damage to threatened species' habitats. Musk has repeatedly clashed with FWS, calling their review process "unacceptable."

Department of Defense (DOD): Concerns that SpaceX has repeatedly failed to comply with federal
reporting protocols aimed at protecting state secrets, including by not providing some details of Musk's meetings with foreign leaders, have reportedly triggered federal l reviews by DOD's Office of Inspector General, the Air Force, and the Pentagon's Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security. The Air Force also recently denied Musk high-level security access, citing potential security risks associated with the billionaire.

More from the above fact sheet on Trump and Musk helping Musk:

Department of Justice (DOJ): DOJ filed a lawsuit in 2023 against SpaceX for allegedly discriminating
against asylees and refugees in hiring. DOJ also opened investigations into whether Tesla has been candid
in describing the features of its vehicles.

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): The SEC sued X in January 2025, alleging Musk misled
shareholders about his Twitter stock purchases in 2022 and ordering Musk to pay the federal government
as much as $150 million. Musk called the agency a "totally broken organization" in response to the
lawsuit.

Office of Government Ethics (OGE): Days after Members of Congress requested that OGE investigate
Mr. Musk's conflicts of interest--given his status as a Special Government Employee and his extensive
business holdings that receive billions of dollars in federal government contracts and subsidies--the
Director of OGE was fired by Trump.