Consultant Position Abandoned by Brandenburg's "Mr. Tesla" Due to Interests Conflicting

In a recent turn of events, Jörg Steinbach, a prominent member of the SPD party and former Minister of Economic Affairs in Brandenburg, has been asked to suspend his consulting role with commercial law firm CMS. The move comes following a judgment by the government advisory body that Steinbach's association with CMS, which has advised both the state of Brandenburg and Tesla on the Giga-Berlin project, breaches the Ministerial Act.

Steinbach played a significant role in obtaining planning permission for Tesla's Giga factory, which is located outside Berlin in Grünheide. His close personal relationship with Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, has been well-documented. However, the conflict of interest arose due to Steinbach's previous involvement in the project.

Under Brandenburg law, government ministers are prohibited from taking employment related to their former position for two years. This restriction applies to Steinbach until 10 December 2026. In response to the government order, Steinbach has expressed "regret" and plans to "analyze the reasoning... with his lawyer".

Despite the controversy, Steinbach has maintained that he was acting as a "freelance consultant for technology issues" and denies seeking to benefit Tesla or his friend Musk. He has also commented that he values Musk as an innovator, despite spending time arguing with him.

It's important to note that there is no publicly available information about any evaluation of Steinbach's employment at CMS by the Brandenburg State Ethics Commission.

Elon Musk, known for his controversial political stances, has supported Donald Trump, performed an on-stage Nazi salute, and openly backed the AfD in Germany. However, these events are unrelated to the current situation involving Steinbach and CMS.

As the situation unfolds, Steinbach continues to maintain his innocence and is working to clarify the matter with the appropriate authorities. The public will be closely watching for updates on this developing story.