Congressional Democrats have called for a federal investigation into Elon Musk’s company SpaceX, following allegations of unsafe working conditions. This comes after a Reuters report alleged that there were over 600 unreported work-related injuries at SpaceX, including a fatal incident.
SENATOR BLACKBURN: “I’ve filed a subpoena to compel DOJ and the FTC to provide all documents related to the investigation of Elon Musk.” pic.twitter.com/Pxx7sGA1A8
— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) November 9, 2023
The Biden administration has been openly critical of Musk, focusing on issues ranging from efforts to unionize Tesla’s workforce to Musk’s activities on the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter. Additionally, federal prosecutors have issued subpoenas to Tesla, seeking information on its partially automated driving systems.
The Reuters investigation, published on November 10, claimed that SpaceX employees have suffered serious injuries like crushed limbs, amputations, and head trauma, suggesting that the injury rate at SpaceX might be higher than the industry average.
Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren of California, a key member of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, has expressed deep concern over these allegations. Congressman Mark Takano of California criticized SpaceX for what he described as “horrific and frequent violations,” highlighting the company’s substantial financial contracts with NASA.
Congressman Donald Norcross of New Jersey also commented on the reported injuries, describing them as alarming.
Despite these concerns, it’s noted that the Biden administration seems particularly focused on Musk’s companies. Last month, Tesla faced subpoenas from the Department of Justice regarding its electric vehicles’ partially automated driving systems. Tesla has disclosed that the DOJ is investigating various aspects of these systems, including their marketing and performance.
Legal analysts suggest that the federal government might believe it is not receiving full cooperation from Tesla. Earlier this year, the Justice Department requested information related to Tesla’s Autopilot and “Full Self-Driving” features, which are marketed as driver-assist systems, though the company clarifies that the vehicles are not fully autonomous.
Musk’s recent acquisition of X (formerly Twitter) and his stance on free speech have been sources of contention, particularly among those who favor more government oversight of social media.
While ensuring safe working conditions at SpaceX is crucial, there is speculation that the investigation could also be a tactic by the Biden administration to target a prominent critic. This raises questions about whether the scrutiny is solely focused on workplace safety or if it also includes political motivations.
