Ethics laws make it a federal criminal offense to take actions that benefit family businesses — even for so-called special government employees, unless a waiver is issued.

Here is a look at the legal questions arising from Musk's activities as he seeks to shrink the federal bureaucracy. WHAT IS MUSK'S ROLE? The White House says Musk is a special government employee, meaning he does not get paid and is only allowed to work 130 days or fewer in a year.