California lawmaker demands records from state commission that rejected SpaceX bid to launch more rockets
A California lawmaker is demanding answers from a state commission after it rejected a request from SpaceX to launch more rockets from a military installation in the state.
California Republican state Assemblyman Bill Essayli has filed a public records request asking the California Coastal Commission (CCC) for records of communications concerning SpaceX and its CEO Elon Musk.
In an interview with FOX Business, Essayli alleged that the CCC’s decision was politically motivated against Musk.
"I was very surprised that they rejected SpaceX’s request. I mean, I think any person who objectively looks at the progress SpaceX is making in the space industry, they’ve been exemplary and have exceeded expectations," Essayli said. "But then once we heard the comments of the commissioners, it became abundantly clear what the real reason was."
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The agency held a debate last week on a Department of Defense proposal to expand the number of SpaceX rocket launches at Vandenberg Space Force Base from 36 to 50.
At a hearing, the agency, which has oversight over the use of land and water along California’s more than 1,000 miles of coastline, said that SpaceX’s commercial space launches aren’t a federal government activity and therefore fall under the commission’s coastal permitting authority.
Essayli said the agency’s decision to deny the request, "puts the U.S. in a weaker position than our global competitors and makes America weaker, not stronger."
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"[It] is very obvious from the comments made by the commissioners that the reason they denied the application was because of Elon Musk’s comments and participation in the political process. They do not like his politics. They made that very clear," Essayli said. "And in America we have something called the First Amendment."
On Tuesday, SpaceX filed a lawsuit against the agency, accusing it of political bias in blocking the company from launching more rockets. The lawsuit alleges that the CCC unfairly asserted regulatory powers over SpaceX launches because of members’ disapproval of Musk’s views.
The lawsuit quotes Commissioner Gretchen Newsom as saying that Musk was "hopping about the country, spewing and tweeting political falsehoods and attacking FEMA while claiming his desire to help hurricane victims with free Starlink access to the internet."
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Essayli alleged that the commission’s decision inhibits development in the space industry and ultimately hurts California’s economy.
"It doesn’t make sense. First of all, this is bringing jobs to California. It’s bringing money to California … and it’s helping our country," Essayli said. "There’s no logical reason why the Coastal Commission would have rejected this application other than they don’t like Elon Musk and his political views."
FOX Business has reached out to the CCC twice for comment on the lawsuit, and on Essayli’s request for public documents.
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The agency declined to comment on the lawsuit. The agency has not responded to FOX Business' request for comment on Essay's request for public documents.
Earlier this week, SpaceX pulled off four launches in three states, including one in which the first-stage booster flew back to the launch pad.