Texas governor sued by rival over redacted Elon Musk chats

State Representative Gina Hinojosa, who is challenging Governor Greg Abbott for his seat, claims the governor has illegally refused to allow her to inspect his communications with Musk.(CN) — Texas gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa sued Republican incumbent Greg Abbott on Monday, accusing the governor of violating state law by shielding his communications with trillionaire Elon Musk.In a petition filed in Travis County District Court, Hinojosa says she requested to examine the governor’s communications with Musk and his companies for legislative purposes, but the governor’s office illegally denied her request. Hinojosa, currently a Texas state representative, seeks an injunction forcing Abbott to allow her to review the requested records.“The documented connections between Abbott and Musk are extensive. They include personal interactions, joint public appearances, large political contributions, economic development incentives, and public praise for one another, as well as laws that Abbott and his legislative allies have promoted to help Musk and his companies,” Hinojosa states in her complaint. “The disturbing influence over Texas government of Musk and his fellow mega-billionaires makes clear the importance of Representative Hinojosa’s legislative oversight efforts to protect Texans against the potential abuse of such a severe concentration of power and money.”Hinojosa claims Abbott’s office already assembled the requested communications in response to a 2025 public information request by The Texas Newsroom. The governor’s office sought a ruling from the Texas attorney general allowing it to withhold the records. Abbott objected to releasing the communications on several grounds, including that they contained information that was “intimate and embarrassing.” Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a ruling directing the release of some of the requested records, but out of the 1,374 pages provided, all but around 200 were completely blacked out.Hinojosa then submitted a request to inspect the unredacted versions of those documents, but she says Abbott’s office refused to allow her access. Hinojosa argues this violates the Texas Public Information Act, which demands governmental bodies “provide public information, including confidential information” to state legislators upon request.“The statute is mandatory,” Hinojosa says in the complaint. “Governor Abbott refuses to comply with his clear legal duty. He is breaking the law.”The suit comes just weeks away from the Nov. 3 elections. The race between Abbott and Hinojosa is unusually close for a state where Republicans have held the governorship for decades, with recent polling averages showing Abbott holding only a narrow lead.“The lawsuit is baseless and nothing more than an act of desperation,” said Abbott’s press secretary, Andrew Mahaleris. “Even worse, state Representative Gina Hinojosa is abusing her official capacity as an outgoing lawmaker to generate headlines for political purposes. Texans see this for what it is: a political stunt.”Musk, an Austin resident who relocated his SpaceX and X businesses to Texas, made headlines recently for sending nine-figure sums to Paxton in the attorney general’s tight race for a Senate seat against up-and-coming Democrat James Talarico.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads