Drew Harwell Renae Merle The Washington Post

The Securities and Exchange Commission sued Tesla chief Elon Musk on Thursday and is seeking to ban him from leading any public company, saying he lied to investors when he claimed on Twitter that he had secured the funding to take the automaker private.

Musk stunned investors when he tweeted he would push to take the automaker private, further highlighting the unpredictability of America's most valuable car company - and its billionaire celebrity chief.

The Securities and Exchange Commission sued Tesla chief Elon Musk on Thursday and is seeking to ban him from leading any public company, saying he lied to investors when he claimed on Twitter that he had secured the funding to take the automaker private.

Musk stunned investors when he tweeted he would push to take the automaker private, further highlighting the unpredictability of America's most valuable car company - and its billionaire celebrity chief.