Elon Musk

A dispute over public records tied to SpaceX's planned "Terafab" semiconductor facility in Grimes County, Texas, has grown into a multi-party legal fight. Resident Marie Egyed and the Grimes County Citizens for Responsible Development sought documents on tax abatements and the county's approval process; the Texas Attorney General's Office largely sided with releasing them, but SpaceX sued to block disclosure, citing security risks as a defense contractor. Austin attorney Bill Aleshire has now filed to intervene, seeking a court order forcing Grimes County to release the records. The case, moved to Travis County District Court, could set precedent for transparency around large Texas development deals.

President Trump traveled to Corpus Christi and Lubbock, Texas, to boost Ken Paxton's Senate bid against Democrat James Talarico, part of a final midterm push through traditionally Republican states. Texas has not elected a Democrat statewide in 32 years, but Talarico has gained traction amid Paxton's legal troubles. Elon Musk has poured significant money into stopping Talarico, a point Democrats are using to highlight wealthy influence in politics, echoing a parallel fight in the governor's race between Greg Abbott and Gina Hinojosa. Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined the trip, fueling speculation about his 2028 ambitions, while Vance and Trump also focus on tight races in Michigan and Alaska.

Washington's Public Disclosure Commission said it will stop enforcing the state's $7,500 cap on individual donations to political action committees during the final three weeks before an election. The cap had applied from Oct. 13 through Election Day, Nov. 3. Commissioners voted Thursday and announced the change Friday, after ballots had already gone out to voters. Direct contribution limits to candidates remain unchanged; only the restriction on large late donations to PACs is affected.

The timing raises the stakes for five contested Washington Supreme Court seats and Democrats' push for legislative supermajorities, since PACs can now accept unlimited sums from single donors in the campaign's closing days. Large contributions must still be publicly reported, generally within 48 hours, though officials acknowledge some donations may not surface until after votes are counted. The PDC said it acted over constitutional concerns about the cap's enforceability, not political considerations.

Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign confirmed it produced the controversial ad featuring Dr. Amy Acton's long-estranged mother, Donna Arthur, who calls her daughter "a liar." The campaign is spending $4 million to run the ad statewide and has declined to pull it despite bipartisan condemnation. Acton's brother says the siblings were removed from their mother's custody as children after their stepfather was indicted for raping Acton between ages 9 and 12. Gov. Mike DeWine called the ad "deeply, deeply troubling" and urged Ramaswamy to take it down while keeping his endorsement; Sen. Jon Husted and former Rep. Jim Renacci also criticized it, warning of a GOP backlash. VP JD Vance dismissed the outcry as "whining," and President Trump defended Ramaswamy, calling the mother's hostility "unusual." Acton leads polling in a race drawing over $120 million in outside spending.

Texas state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic nominee challenging Gov. Greg Abbott, filed suit in Travis County seeking full access to emails between Abbott's office and Elon Musk. Abbott had previously released over 1,300 pages to a records request, but nearly all were redacted after his office cited exemptions including "intimate and embarrassing" content. Hinojosa, invoking a Texas law letting legislators inspect confidential records, argues Abbott is violating a mandatory legal duty; she has offered to keep the material confidential. Abbott's office calls the suit "baseless" and politically motivated. The dispute cites Musk's roughly $366 million in Republican election spending, including $500,000 to Abbott's campaign, as the November 3 election nears.

Texas state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic nominee for governor, filed suit Monday against Gov. Greg Abbott seeking unredacted copies of emails exchanged with Elon Musk. Hinojosa says Abbott's office has withheld records she requested under Texas public information law, alleging prior disclosures to media left most pages redacted or blacked out. Her suit cites extensive ties between Abbott and Musk, including political contributions, joint appearances, and economic-development incentives tied to SpaceX's Texas operations. Abbott's office called the lawsuit a politically motivated "stunt" from an outgoing lawmaker. The dispute surfaces as early voting begins in Texas's closely watched governor's race between Hinojosa and Abbott.

Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa said she isn't intimidated by Elon Musk, accusing Gov. Greg Abbott of working to give Musk access to Boca Chica State Park and vowing to keep public beaches and taxpayer money out of billionaires' hands. Asked whether Musk might relocate his businesses from Texas if she wins, Hinojosa was unconcerned, saying Texans "know our worth" and that Musk is fortunate to be based in the state. She declined to weigh in on whether Musk is a technical genius or simply a skilled hirer of talent, and also criticized Abbott for declining to debate her ahead of the race.