Editordude: an old 9-year old post about ‘who Gretchen Newsom is’ has been blowing up lately here at the Rag. Now we know why. Elon Musk and SpaceX has just sued her sitting as an alternate on the California Coastal Commission, along with all the other commissioner. Gretchen, of course, is the former president of the OB Town Council. She has since moved from OB and has been working for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and last year was promoted to be a regional director for IBEW.
By Alex Nieves / Politico / October 16, 2024
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is suing a California agency that rejected his company’s plan to increase rocket launches from an Air Force base in Santa Barbara County, arguing that commissioners engaged in political bias while making the decision.
Attorneys from Los Angeles-based law firm Venable LLP filed the complaint against the California Coastal Commission in Los Angeles federal court on Tuesday, days after Musk threatened in a weekend post on X to take legal action against the agency.
The lawsuit argues that the agency’s 12-member commission “engaged in naked political discrimination” during last week’s debate on a Department of Defense proposal to expand the number of SpaceX rocket launches at Vandenberg Space Force Base from 36 to 50.
“Rarely has a government agency made so clear that it was exceeding its authorized mandate to punish a company for the political views and statements of its largest shareholder and CEO,” the suit says.
The lawsuit names the commission and its executive director Kate Huckelbridge, the 12 sitting commissioners and alternate commissioner Gretchen Newsom.
The agency’s commissioners, appointed by the governor and legislative leaders, voted 6-4 on Thursday to reject the Air Force’s plan for increased launches over concerns that all SpaceX activity would be considered military operations.
That determination would shield the company from having to acquire its own permits as a private company, despite the vast majority of launches not including military payloads.
The hourslong debate prior to the vote, however, veered into a discussion about Musk’s political rhetoric, his support for former President Donald Trump, his comments about transgender people and his companies’ labor records.
“Elon Musk is hopping about the country, spewing and tweeting political falsehoods and attacking FEMA while claiming his desire to help the hurricane victims with free Starlink access to the internet,” Newsom, who isn’t related to Gov. Gavin Newsom, said at the meeting in San Diego.
Newsom and Commission Chair Caryl Hart both voted to reject the plan after condemning Musk’s conduct. Commissioners Mike Wilson and Justin Cummings also expressed concerns about Musk himself or SpaceX’s labor practices, but ultimately voted in favor of the launch increase.
Agency staff declined to comment. Hart said the commissioners’ comments were unrelated to the vote.
“Many things are said in the course of meetings, whether it’s a Coastal Commission meeting, whether it’s a legislative meeting, whether it’s a planning department,” she said in an interview Tuesday. “The basis for this decision is the commission’s conclusion that SpaceX, as a private company engaged in private activities, needs to apply for a coastal development permit.”
Is the commissions job to oversee launches or to judge people for an alternative view? Allow the launch increase if it is the right thing to do or deny the launches if that is the right thing to do based upon that merit of the request.
Perhaps it’s time to stop polarizing our country with identity politics in every aspect of our life’s and focus on the tasking at hand.
Would it be fair for some crazy board in Texas to deny a left leaning company from conducting business which in the end might benefit all of mankind? Personally, I would say “No, they don’t have that right”.
The people need to stop allowing agenized crazy politicians, boards or people in power from continuing this sick divide of our country. It’s time to put that static aside and work together for the betterment of the actual people they are supposed to be serving.
My comment here is not in support or against Elon Musk or Gretchen, but in support of the people’s right to have politicians and boards do the work of the people based upon the merit of the proposal presented.
The headline is inconsistant with the Politico headline and article. Politico says SpaceX is suing the agency, whereas OBRag is saying Elon Musk and SpaceX are suing the commisioners (including Newsom).
Here’s a quote from the Politico article:
The lawsuit names the commission and its executive director Kate Huckelbridge, the 12 sitting commissioners and alternate commissioner Gretchen Newsom.
Sure enough. I read the actual complaint (linked by the Politico article) which verified that your headline was more accurate than Politico’s. I still maintain that the two headlines are inconsistant as my original comment stated.
Okay. Headline writing is an artform.
Well sure the two headlines are inconsistent, Politico got it wrong, which is inconsistent with correct, as The Rag headline was.