Elon Musk gets an apology from California regulators as a SpaceX lawsuit is settled
LOS ANGELES (AP) — California regulators apologized this week to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk as they settled a lawsuit that said a state agency showed political bias against the rocket company and its chief executive.
As part of the settlement, the California Coastal Commission acknowledged that its members made “inappropriate” statements about Musk’s political beliefs during a 2024 hearing on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch program.
“The commission agrees that it cannot consider irrelevant factors in carrying out its duty and specifically agrees that it will not consider the perceived political beliefs, political speech, or labor practices of SpaceX or its executives when considering any regulatory action regarding SpaceX,” the commission said in federal court papers filed Tuesday.
SpaceX sued the commission over its opposition to extending the launch schedule for Falcon 9 rockets from Vandenberg Space Station on the southern California coast near Santa Barbara.
The company’s lawsuit accused the Coastal Commission of engaging in political discrimination by refusing to approve a U.S. Air Force proposal to increase the number of launches at the busy federally owned base.
The lawsuit alleged that the commissioners voted against SpaceX because of their dislike of Musk’s outspoken political views, thereby violating the constitutional rights to free speech and due process.
According to the settlement, the case will be permanently dismissed while both parties agree that the agreement does not constitute an admission “of any liability or illegal conduct.”
The commission also agreed that it would not require coastal development permits for SpaceX’s launch program in the state.
Representatives for SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the settlement.
The coastal commission acknowledged in a statement Wednesday that it had apologized for “irrelevant” statements made by its members. The commission said it continues to have serious concerns about the impacts on coastal resources from increased rocket launches at Vandenberg.
“These impacts include restrictions on public access to the coast, damage to sensitive species and coastal habitat, and the frequency and intensity of sonic booms,” the statement said. “Federal law requires the federal government to provide information and coordinate with the Coastal Commission on these matters. The federal government has not yet provided sufficient information to the Coastal Commission about these activities and their impact on the California coast.
The settlement came as Musk spoke this week amid a separate legal battle with OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman that could reshape the future development of artificial intelligence.
