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Texas Governor Candidate Gina Hinojosa Sues Gov. Greg Abbott for Unredacted Musk Emails
By Drooid · · How we work
Lawsuit Over Unredacted Emails
State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic nominee for Texas governor, filed a lawsuit on September 29 seeking injunctive and declaratory relief to compel Gov. Greg Abbott’s office to release the unredacted portions of more than a thousand pages of email communications with billionaire Elon Musk and his companies. Hinojosa argues the documents are subject to a statutory right under the Texas Public Information Act that allows legislators to inspect confidential records for “legislative purposes.” The governor’s office has refused, labeling the emails “intimate and embarrassing” and asserting privacy and deliberative-process privileges.
Background: Prior Records Request and Redactions
The emails were originally produced to The Texas Newsroom after a 2025 public-records request. The office released 1,374 pages, but roughly 200 pages remained readable while the rest were fully redacted or blacked out. Abbott’s office maintained that disclosure would have a “chilling effect” on candid discussion among officials. Hinojosa’s September 29 request asked to view the redacted material, offering to sign a confidentiality agreement that would limit public discussion of the contents.
Financial Ties and Grants
The lawsuit highlights several sizable financial interactions between Musk’s enterprises and the state:
- A $1.7 billion school-property-tax incentive for Musk’s Terafab project under the Jobs, Energy, Technology and Innovation program.
- A $17.3 million grant to SpaceX in Bastrop on March 12, 2025.
- A $7.5 million grant to SpaceX and its Starbase operations in early 2025.
- A $500,000 campaign contribution from Musk to Abbott in 2026, plus a $250,000 contribution to House Speaker Dustin Burrows, according to the Texas Ethics Commission.
Hinojosa contends these subsidies underscore the need for transparency about the governor’s communications with Musk.
Official Statements & Responses
Abbott’s press secretary, Andrew Mahaleris, called the lawsuit “baseless” and an “act of desperation,” suggesting it is a political stunt aimed at generating headlines. He reiterated the administration’s position that releasing the emails would jeopardize the state’s competitive business interests and attorney-client privileges.
Verbatim Quotes
- “People are angry. That’s what this election is about. It is one fight: Is this going to be a Texas that is by and for the people, or is it just the billionaires’ world, and we just live here? This is in-your-face corruption,” — Gina Hinojosa, for texas governor
- “Nobody here is accusing Greg Abbott of having a torrid love affair with Elon Musk,” — Gina Hinojosa, for texas governor
- “What this is about is we have the world’s only trillionaire getting massive tax breaks from this governor after giving him over $500,000 in campaign contributions.” — Andrew Mahaleris, Abbott’s press secretary, called the lawsuit baseless and
- “The lawsuit is baseless and nothing more than an act of desperation,” — Andrew Mahaleris, Abbott’s press secretary, called the lawsuit baseless and
- “In light of the expanding influence of tech CEOs in Texas and the close working relationship between government and the corporate tech industry, transparency is essential for accountability, which is why I’m writing.” — Gina Hinojosa, for texas governor
- “People have a right to know, and I, as their representative, have the right to see them,” — Gina Hinojosa, for texas governor