CNN
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A federal choose ordered Elon Musk to testify once more within the US Securities and Alternate Fee’s probe of his $44 billion takeover of Twitter, giving the regulator and the billionaire per week to agree on a date and site for the interview.
US Justice of the Peace Decide Laurel Beeler’s order, issued on Saturday evening, formalized a tentative ruling she made in December that sided with the regulator.
The SEC sued Musk in October to compel the Tesla and SpaceX CEO to testify as a part of an investigation into his 2022 buy of Twitter, the social media big that he subsequently renamed X. Musk refused to attend an interview in September that was a part of the probe, the SEC mentioned.
The company is analyzing whether or not Musk adopted the legislation when submitting the required paperwork about his purchases of Twitter stock, and whether or not his statements in relation to the deal have been deceptive.
Musk fought the SEC’s bid to interview him, saying it had already finished so twice, and accused the regulator of harassment.
Beeler rejected that argument. The SEC had authority to challenge the subpoena, which sought related info, she mentioned within the ruling.
If the SEC and Musk can not agree on a date and time for the interview, Beeler mentioned she is going to hear from each side and determine for them.
Friction between Musk and the SEC started when the regulator sued him after he tweeted “funding secured” in 2018 in reference to a potential plan to take Tesla personal. To settle that case, Musk agreed {that a} Tesla lawyer would vet his tweets concerning the electrical car maker. The SEC sued him once more in 2019 for allegedly breaching that provision.
Musk has requested the U.S. Supreme Courtroom to review the agreement, saying it violates his constitutional proper to free speech.