Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and a staunch advocate of free speech, is now alleging bias on the part of the California government after they rejected a proposal put forth by SpaceX.
The lawsuit alleges that the CCC exceeded its authority by making a decision last week that SpaceX could not utilize the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County to launch up to 50 additional rockets per year.
Some members of the agency expressed critical views about Musk during the deliberations, which ultimately led to the rejection of the proposal.
According to commissioner Gretchen Newsom from Politico, Elon Musk is traveling around the country, spreading and tweeting false political information, criticizing FEMA, and at the same time, expressing his intention to assist hurricane victims by providing free access to the internet through Starlink.
Majority Rules
Newsom’s comments about misinformation are grounded in established fact, but their politicized nature has provided SpaceX with ammunition for their lawsuit.
The proposal was ultimately rejected by the coastal regulator in a six to four vote. This decision was made because Space Force, a division of the Air Force, did not present a strong enough argument for allowing SpaceX to use military facilities. However, this hasn’t stopped the company from expressing its frustration on behalf of Musk.
The lawsuit contends that the government agency has gone beyond its authorized powers in penalizing a company based on the political views and statements of its CEO and largest shareholder. It emphasizes the unusual nature of such actions by a government agency.
The lawsuit included statements from the commissioner, who shares no relation to governor Gavin Newsom, expressing his disdain for Musk. These critical remarks about the business owner were included in the lawsuit.
In a dramatic fashion, Musk’s lawsuit alleges that the CCC is jeopardizing national security and unlawfully penalizing SpaceX.
Elon Musk has announced that the next-generation Starlink satellites will be so massive that they will require launching with the Starship.
