The Californian Coastal Commission has voted down requests from SpaceX to increase space flights.
Launch limits per year were already upgraded in 2024 from six to 36.
SpaceX requested this number be increased to 50.
Although environmental concerns weighed in on the final decision, it’s obvious the deciding factors were viciously political.
Before commission member and unionist, Gretchen Newsom’s questionably legal, all-out assault on Elon Musk, Commissioner Mike Wilson, registered his concerns.
Wilson wanted to know who got a cut in profits.
His questions largely revolved around the public versus private dimensions associated with SpaceX’s request.
Between SpaceX and Space Force, he asked, “Is there transparency?
“Is this really to the benefit of citizens of the United States?
“My concern,” he added, “is national security, and that we’re linking these – the private and the public together.”
After 12 minutes of rambling, Wilson finally admitted his concerns were politically motivated.
“We are talking about SpaceX,” he declared.
“I just want to put it out there: this company is owned by the richest person in the world with direct control of what could be the biggest global communications system on the planet,” Wilson remarked.
“Just last week [Musk] was speaking about political retribution on a national stage.
“It was very glib, yet he was standing next to [Donald Trump who] openly promotes working to normalise that language.
“We can’t hide from that,” Wilson declared, “we have to push back against that.”
In the dock (so to speak), United States Space Force’s Dr. Ravi Chaudhary, brilliantly navigated the loaded questions, replying, “For the sake of national security, USSF aims to be as apolitical as possible.”
Ready for war, and reading a scripted statement “into the record,” Gretchen Newsom (not a known relation of California governor, Gavin Newsome), said, “I have the following brief statement to share.
“Today I seek to bring light to the troubling situation between SpaceX and its operations.”
Disingenuously, Newsom restated racism, and sexism allegations made against Musk in 2022, as well as “concerning” work safety practices.
She then described these as, “recent findings” which “revealed a pattern of disregard for employee welfare and regulatory compliance.”
Newsom read from the so-called ‘open letter from SpaceX employees’ likening the company to a “frat house with harassment.”
The posturing and visibly hostile Commissioner then accused SpaceX of retaliating against “workers who demanded better working conditions.”
Newsome was referring to the 8 SpaceX engineers who wrote the 2022 open letter, dismissed for telling Musk he was a “distraction and an embarrassment.”
They’re suing Musk, demanding financial restitution.
Unions targeted the SpaceX boss again in January and June 2024, riding a wave of Leftwing political rhetoric designed to undermine advertiser confidence in X, and Elon Musk’s leadership.
Vowing to hold him accountable, Newsom exclaimed, “Elon Musk’s rocket company! – is responsible for over 600 unreported workplace-related injuries.
“He’s benefited from over $3.2 billion in subsidies.”
Yet, he “threatens to relocate his operations including his headquarters from California to Texas, citing his bigoted beliefs against California’s safeguards and protections of our transgender community.”
This behaviour, she said, “raises concerns about his request for government support.”
Viciously attacking Musk, Newsome went full Trump derangement syndrome (TDS), saying, “Right now, Elon Musk is hopping about the country, spewing, and tweeting political falsehoods.”
All while, she claimed, Musk is “attacking FEMA, claiming his desire to ‘help the Hurricane victims with (speech mark) free Starlink access to the internet.”
She accused Musk of grifting Hurricane Helene victims, calling it a “sick ploy to gain customers that are facing tremendous burdens and hardship.”
Government shouldn’t be doing the bidding or work on behalf of SpaceX, Newsome demanded, applauding moves to hold the company more accountable.
“I caution us,” Newsom concluded, “it appears that rather than prioritising the welfare of SpaceX employees, and the environment, the focus has been on profit maximisation” at the expense of people.
Firing back, Elon Musk answered the accusations, stating on X, that the CCC’s political interference was, “Incredibly inappropriate. What I post on this platform has nothing to do with a ‘coastal commission’ in California!”
He then indicated a lawsuit, saying, he would be “filing suit against them on Tuesday for violating the First Amendment.”
Put simply, overbearing bureaucrats in California have blocked SpaceX in order to protect trans-rights and stop Trump.
That’s the Cali Coastal Commission’s justifications for ruling against Elon Musk, in sum.
