Gov. Greg Abbot’s “Release” of Records Show Dark Side of Elon Musk’s Influence in Texas

When a government official talks business with a powerful billionaire, the public has a right to know what was discussed. That is the core idea behind transparency laws. But in Texas, the relationship between Governor Greg Abbott and Elon Musk has been anything but transparent. This leads to concerns about Musk’s influence in state politics, as he moves his business operations in Tesla and SpaceX to Texas, along with his economic influence. 

A Blacked-Out Window to Power

Recently, after public information requests demanded the release of emails between the Governor’s office and Elon Musk, Texas officials finally released nearly 1,400 pages of records. However, the vast majority of these documents were redacted, hiding the details of months of communications with one of the most powerful people in the state.

The effort to hide these conversations only raised more questions about what Musk, who has moved his political focus and his company headquarters to Texas, was asking for and what the governor was promising. Open government experts argue this limited disclosure is a perfect example of a deep problem with transparency in the state.

Abbott’s office argued that the emails were confidential because they included "information that is intimate and embarrassing and not of legitimate concern to the public." Meanwhile, a lawyer representing SpaceX stated that releasing the documents would expose “commercial information whose disclosure would cause SpaceX substantial competitive harm.”

Bill Aleshire, a Texas attorney specializing in public records law, was sharply critical of the state's claim of "intimate and embarrassing" content, saying it is usually used for highly personal data, not exchanges between an elected official and a businessman. "You're boxing in the dark," Aleshire said, pointing out the lack of transparency. "You can't even see what the target is or what's behind their claim."

Laws Forged in Private Deals 

Despite the intense secrecy surrounding the emails, public records provide a clear picture of exactly how effective Musk's political influence has been in Austin. During the state legislative session, his companies hired a powerful team of lobbyists who successfully pushed through numerous new laws that directly benefited the billionaire's growing business empire in Texas. Musk hired his largest team of lobbyists since 2021, who spent tens of thousands of dollars to give gifts and dine with Texan politicians. 

As a result, new laws were implemented that benefitted Musk’s businesses. For example, one new law granted SpaceX significantly more control over Boca Chica Beach and the nearby highway closures around its massive South Texas launch site, essentially giving the company private use of public land when they need it. Furthermore, new regulations were established to protect Tesla’s specific business interests concerning backup power generators, ensuring they had an advantage in the energy market. Lawmakers even created a new crime that specifically targets and criminalizes interference with the operations of a space facility, offering extra legal and police protection specifically to SpaceX. 

There are also concerns about the amount of money that Musk is wielding in campaign funds. During the 2024 election, Musk donated roughly $288 million to different Republican campaigns of which a large chunk went to Trump’s campaign. However, on the state level, Musk has been pumping millions into Texan elections. Last year, he invested $1 million into the Texans for Lawsuit Reform, which is one of the largest backers for Republican legislative races. He also used $2 million to fund the Judicial Fairness PAC, which is a Texas PAC backing GOP judicial candidates.