'Too Intimate and Embarrassing' to make public, says Texas governor in a letter on emails with Elon Musk

Texas Governor

Greg Abbott

is reportedly withholding months of communications with

Tesla

CEO Elon Musk and his companies, citing privacy exemptions under Texas public records laws. According to a joint investigation by ProPublica, The Texas Newsroom, and The Texas Tribune, Texas governor doesn’t want to reveal months of communications with Elon Musk or representatives from the tech mogul’s companies, arguing in part that they are of a private nature, not of public interest and potentially embarrassing.

What Texas governor said in letter about emails with Elon Musk

In a letter to the Texas attorney general shared by The Texas Newsroom, one of Abbott’s public information coordinators said the emails consist “of information that is intimate and embarrassing and not of legitimate concern to the public,” such as “financial decisions that do not relate to transactions between an individual and a governmental body.”The decision has reportedly sparked debate over transparency, given Musk’s growing influence in the state. The Texas Newsroom, probing Musk’s sway over Texas governance, requested emails between Abbott’s office and Musk dating back to last fall. Initially, the governor’s office accepted a $244 fee to compile the records but later refused to release them. In a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, an Abbott public information coordinator argued the emails contain “highly intimate or embarrassing” details, including financial decisions unrelated to government transactions, and are thus exempt from disclosure. SpaceX, Musk’s aerospace company based in Texas, also objected, claiming the emails could cause “substantial competitive harm.

Elon Musk's 'growing influence' in Texas

Elon Musk’s presence in Texas has expanded significantly in recent years. Three of his biggest companies -- Tesla, SpaceX and Twitter now call Texas home, with SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas recently approved as a new town by local voters. Abbott has praised Elon Musk, crediting him for inspiring the creation of a state efficiency office and celebrating his companies’ relocation to Texas. Elon Musk’s lobbyists also secured several favorable laws during this year’s legislative session.Public records have previously shed light on Elon Musk’s influence. The Texas Newsroom claims to have uncovered emails showing a Texas lawmaker meeting with SpaceX representatives and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick advocating to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to allow more SpaceX rocket launches.