California officials last week rejected SpaceX’s plans to launch more rockets from the Golden State’s coast, citing Elon Musk’s X posts.
The company’s plan to increase the number of rocket blasts into space up to 50 a year was rejected by the California Coastal Commission on Thursday, despite assurances from Space Force and Air Force officials that they would boost efforts to monitor the rocket launches’ effects on nearby wildlife.
Some members of the California Coastal Commission cited their concerns about SpaceX owner Musk’s involvement in the presidential race and spreading “conspiracy theories” on his X platform.
This is Political Discrimination pic.twitter.com/In0odlXtRH
— The Rabbit Hole (@TheRabbitHole84) October 12, 2024
“Among the issues raised were Musk’s decision to insert himself in the presidential race, his spreading of conspiracy theories, the labor record of his companies and derogatory comments he has made about the transgender community,” the Los Angels Times reported Saturday.
“We’re dealing with a company, the head of which has aggressively injected himself into the presidential race,” commission Chair Caryl Hart said.
Commissioner Mike Wilson likewise said, “This company is owned by the richest person in the world with direct control of what could be the most expansive communications system in the planet. Just last week that person was talking about political retribution.”
Commissioner Gretchen Newsom said, “Elon Musk is hopping about the country, spewing and tweeting political falsehoods and attacking [the Federal Emergency Management Agency] while claiming his desire to help hurricane victims with free Starlink access to the internet.”
Musk said in an X post that he plans to file a lawsuit against the California Commission on Monday for violating his First Amendment rights.
Incredibly inappropriate. What I post on this platform has nothing to do with a “coastal commission” in California!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 13, 2024
Filing suit against them on Monday for violating the First Amendment. https://t.co/bDgFPTdNal
Military officials also argued that launches by SpaceX, a leading contractor at Vandenberg Space Force Base, should be considered a federal activity because all of its launches benefit military objectives.
This is clear constitutional violation by the California Commission as Musk is well within his constitutional rights to say whatever he wants on social media without government reprisal over his opinions.
Tech entrepreneur David Sacks likewise blasted the California Coastal Commission’s decision to reject the SpaceX application for more launches over Musk’s political comments.
“If @KamalaHarris wins, the entire country becomes California,” Sacks wrote on X.
Yes, but I would like @elonmusk and @SpaceX work to continue unabated by those who don’t like him, note the California Coastal Commission decision on Thursday where the Chairman cited his @X posts on the election, transgender issues and other issues as the reason for denying… https://t.co/hI8afxTXC1
— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) October 13, 2024
Musk replied, “Exactly. If the Kamala regime wins, they will stifle progress. It is in their nature and they cannot help but do what is in their nature. Frog and the scorpion.”
Constitutional expert Jonathan Turley also noted Sunday on Fox News that the left has already “done everything they could short of throwing him into a wood-chipper” to punish Musk for his political speech.
True, they will never forgive me
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 13, 2024
In response to Turley’s comments, Musk wrote, “They will never forgive me.”
Meanwhile, SpaceX managed a historic successful booster catch at Starbase using metal pincers dubbed “chopsticks,” during its fifth Starship flight test in Boca Chica, Texas, on Sunday.
The tower has caught the rocket!!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 13, 2024
pic.twitter.com/CPXsHJBdUh