$474 Million: Alex Gibney Asks If Democrats Can Hold Musk to Account

Documentary director Alex Gibney wants to know whether a Democratic-controlled Congress will revive scrutiny of Elon Musk's business practices now that money alone did not carry Republicans in Texas. Gibney raised the question Tuesday at the WIRED World Fair in Miami, speaking with WIRED contributing editor Zoë Schiffer after a screening of his film "Musk," according to WIRED.

What did Gibney say about holding Musk accountable?

"Is our political system capable—assuming the Democrats win the House and the Senate—of ignoring the power of money … to hold really tough investigations?" Gibney asked, per WIRED's account of the conversation. His documentary traces multiple federal investigations into Musk's companies and argues those inquiries helped push Musk toward backing Donald Trump and other Republican candidates in recent election cycles.

How much has Musk spent on this election cycle?

Gibney cited figures showing the scale of Musk's political giving:

• Musk has donated more than $474 million to Republican political groups this cycle, according to WIRED.
• At least $158 million of that went to super PACs backing Texas attorney general Ken Paxton in his Senate race, per the same report.

"Last I looked, things weren't going Elon's way, particularly in Texas," Gibney said, according to WIRED.

What happened in Texas?

Shortly after Gibney's remarks, James Talrico was declared the winner of the Texas Senate race over Paxton, and Gina Hinojosa was elected governor—among the first Democrats to win statewide office in Texas in more than three decades, WIRED reported. Musk has held close ties to Texas political and business figures for years. The result lands amid a broader Democratic midterm sweep that has unsettled parts of Wall Street, according to HTT News, and arrives as Democrats weigh what a narrower majority means for overriding future vetoes, per HTT News.

Why does Gibney think Musk's stock price matters?

Musk "now has such an extraordinary amount of money that dropping $500 million on an election means nothing to him," Gibney told Schiffer, per WIRED. But he noted much of that wealth sits in company stock rather than cash. "The question is: What if that stock begins to fall?" Gibney said.

How has Musk responded to the documentary?

Musk declined to be interviewed for the film and has called it a "hit piece" on X, WIRED reported. In September, attorney Alex Spiro sent Gibney's production company a letter threatening a defamation suit ahead of release, according to WIRED. Gibney's team instead built a composite from Musk's public statements, pairing real quotes with a simulated avatar. YouTube, TikTok and Meta initially declined to run the film's trailer, and X did not advertise it at all, WIRED reported, citing The Hollywood Reporter. "Musk" leaves theaters and becomes available to rent or buy November 6, per WIRED.