California bill bars Coastal Commission from blocking more launches for Elon Musk’s SpaceX
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ESSAYLI FILES BILL BACKING SPACEX BID FOR MORE LAUNCHES
California Assemblymember Bill Essayli, R-Corona, is turning his war of words with the California Coastal Commission into legislation: This week, he unveiled a bill, AB 10, that would overturn the commission’s decision to bar billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX from making additional annual launches.
Essayli in October slammed the commission’s decision — which meant SpaceX would continue to be restricted to 36 launches a year from the Central Coast’s Vandenberg Space Force Base — accusing commissioners of playing politics.
“AB 10 will reverse the politically-motivated decision by the California Coastal Commission to restrict SpaceX launches for the Space Force due to their hatred of Elon Musk. This dangerous and illegal decision threatens our national security and erodes the public trust we place in our officials to act in the best interest of the people — not politics,” Essayli said in a statement this week.
The commission did not respond to The Bee’s request for comment by deadline.
During the commission’s October meeting, Commissioner Gretchen Newsom — no relation to the governor — pointed to SpaceX’s history of workplace injuries and allegations of a toxic workplace culture.
“This pattern of negligence should not be overlooked, and it reflects poorly on the stewardship of the company and its leadership,” she said.
Newsom also said that Musk, who reaps billions in state and federal subsidies for his several businesses, was “hopping about the country, spewing and tweeting political falsehoods” on behalf of then-former President Donald Trump.
Commission Chair Caryl Hart also criticized Musk, saying “we’re dealing with a company the head of which has aggressively injected himself into the presidential race, and made it clear what his point of view is, and he’s managed a company in a way that was just described by Commissioner Newsom that I find to be very disturbing.”
Musk responded to the commission’s decision by suing in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. That case is ongoing.
After the commission rejected SpaceX’s application, the other Newsom — Gov. Gavin Newsom — criticized the decision and said he was “with Elon” on this matter.
“Governor Newsom says he’s ‘with Elon’ on this — now is his chance to prove it. I urge Governor Newsom to make good on his word, support AB 10 in the Legislature, and sign it when it reaches his desk,” Essayli said in a statement.
Newsom’s office responded by saying the governor’s policy is typically not to comment on pending legislation, and referred The Bee to the governor’s previous comment on the subject.
BERA CHASTISES BIDEN’S ‘BAD PRECEDENT’
Via David Lightman
President Joe Biden’s pardon of his son sets a “bad precedent,” said Rep. Ami Bera, D-Sacramento. But Bera also said he understood “this was a father protecting his son.”
Bera spoke to Fox News’ “Your World” about the pardon. The president announced Sunday he was issuing a full pardon for Hunter Biden.
The younger Biden pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal charges that he didn’t pay $1.4 million in taxes. He was also convicted of making false statements on a federal form, saying he was not using drugs at the time he bought a handgun. Sentencing in both cases was scheduled for later this month.
The president had said earlier he would not pardon his son, but changed course Sunday, saying”raw politics has infected this process.”
Many Democrats have been critical of the action.
Bera told Fox that he was emphatic towards the president. “I know a father wanting to protect his son, a son who’s lived a pretty tragic life. So just from a human element, we get that.
“I do think a lot of us feel like this was somewhat politically motivated, but I do think it sets a bad precedent.”
Some believe that because of his calling January 6, 2021 Capitol rioters hostages, President-elect Donald Trump could pardon many of them.
What the Biden pardon does, Bera said, is that “arguments that we had against President Trump doing some of his pardons, it becomes a lot harder for us to make that argument today.”
Bera added, “So Donald Trump won the election. And I hope he decides to move this country forward, as opposed to going back and persecuting his perceived enemies.”
But, he said, “I think it will become really hard for us if, let’s say, president-elect Trump decides to pardon the January 6 folks.
“Now, what do we say? I mean, it becomes really hard because folks will say, well, President Biden did the same exact thing. So, again, I think it just becomes a really difficult precedent for us to defend.”
DEM LAWMAKER INTRODUCES BILL TO SPEED UP CALIFORNIA BALLOT COUNTING
Via Nicole Nixon...
Tabulating election results in California is painfully slow, but most Democrats defend the process because it prioritizes voting access and transparency over speed.
It may have hit a tipping point this year: one state lawmaker plans to introduce legislation that could prod counties to speed up their tabulation.
Assemblymember Marc Berman, D-Menlo Park, said Republicans use California’s plodding election count to “sow doubt about election results they don’t like.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., accused Democrats of “stealing” the 45th District seat after results showed Democrat Derek Tran pulled ahead of incumbent Rep. Michelle Steele, a Republican, more than a week after Election Day.
The bill lacks specifics and Berman said he plans to speak with stakeholders “to evaluate what is working and what we can do better to maintain our nation-leading voting rights while speeding up the count.”
ADAM SCHIFF TO BE SWORN IN AS U.S. SENATOR MONDAY
Via David Lightman...
Adam Schiff is scheduled to be sworn into office as a U.S. senator from California Monday.
He’ll replace Sen. Laphonza Butler, D-Calif., who was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year to replace the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.
Schiff, 64, won two elections last month, one to fill the remainder of the Butler term, which runs through January, and another to fill a full six year term that begins after that.
Schiff has been a Los Angeles area congressman since 2001. He’s best known for his work as House Intelligence Committee Chairman from 2019 to 2023 and the lead prosecutor in President Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“A hallmark of any democracy is that it allows and encourages dissenting viewpoints. The declaration of martial law by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, meant to try to crack down on his political rivals and stifle dissent, posed a threat to the vibrant democracy of the Republic of Korea. I am encouraged by the fact that this martial law was unanimously overturned by the Korean parliament, and that President Yoon has apparently backed down. This type of anti-democratic action is unacceptable.”
- Rep.-elect Dave Min, D-Irvine, in a statement responding to Tuesday’s showdown in South Korea.
Best of The Bee:
Kevin McCarty is officially Sacramento’s next mayor. Flojaune Cofer still hasn’t conceded, via Mathew Miranda.
California Senate leader condemns senator for ‘online racist attack’ on fellow lawmaker, via Andrew Sheeler.
Will the new Republican-controlled Congress give parents a bigger tax break for children? Via David Lightman.
See family members join new California legislators on festive first day of new session, via Paul Kitagaki Jr. and Hector Amezcua.
California must not fixate on Trump and forget about affordability, Speaker says, via Nicole Nixon.
This story was originally published December 4, 2024 at 4:55 AM.