type: timeline_event
SEC offered $50,000 buyouts to staff members while they were investigating Elon Musk, creating pressure to leave during active enforcement actions against the DOGE co-director's companies. Lead attorney Robin Andrews resigned April 2025, calling it "heartbreaking" amid concerns Trump-appointed SEC chair would dismiss case or settle for small penalty. Another attorney Bernard Smyth also left. SEC sued Musk January 14, 2025 for Twitter acquisition violations alleging he underpaid by $150+ million through improper disclosure delays.