US: Democratic Senator, Tesla investors raise concerns about Elon Musk as Twitter CEO

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has come under even more controversies following his purchase of the major social media platform Twitter. The new Twitter CEO has since been under heavy scrutiny by a Democratic US Senator and Tesla investors.

In a letter to Tesla board chair Robyn Denholm on Monday, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren expressed concerns that the Tesla board did not address the risks posed by Musk’s purchase of the social media platform. Warren, one of Musk’s vocal critics, said the board of a company had the responsibility to make sure that its controlling shareholder did not treat the platform as a “private plaything.”

“The first weeks of Mr. Musk’s Twitter ownership have raised questions about possible violations of securities or other laws, including whether Mr. Musk is funneling Tesla resources into Twitter,” wrote Warren in her letter to Denholm.

Even Tesla has questioned whether Musk has become too distracted to run the automobile company where he is actively involved in production and engineering. Investors have already urged Musk to step down as Twitter CEO at the expense of Tesla stock which has dropped by nearly 60 percent this year, hitting a two-year low on Monday.

Last month, Tesla director James Murdoch testified in court that the company audit committee discussed Musk’s employment of Tesla engineers at Twitter and that this should not take away from their work at the car company. Musk also further frustrated his investors by selling $40 billion in Tesla stock this year.

Musk has also considered stepping down as Twitter CEO following a Twitter poll he shared on Sunday, asking users whether or not he should step down.

Also on Monday, Republican Senator Jim Risch, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, requested a review of the country’s security assistance and cooperation programs in Nigeria. The request follows a report by Reuters of an illegal abortion program and the killing of children by the Nigerian military.

In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken seen by the outlet, Risch also called for the State Department to look into the possible use of sanctions aside from an expedited review of US security assistance and cooperation.