A judge ruled on Monday that Governor Greg Abbott must turn over more than 1,000 pages of unredacted communications between himself and Elon Musk to state Representative Gina Hinojosa. Judge Catherine Mauzy of Travis County determined during a hearing that Hinojosa is entitled to these records because she could potentially use them for legislative purposes, Bloomberg Law reports.
The ruling arrived just eight days before the election on November 3. Since the appeal process is already underway, it seems likely that Hinojosa will face significant delays in accessing these documents before voters head to the polls.
Governor Abbott’s team clearly disagrees with the court order. His spokesperson, Andrew Mahaleris, stated on X that the governor has appealed the ruling. Lawyers for the governor have described the request from Hinojosa as a political stunt. They also argue that because Hinojosa is leaving her seat in January before the next legislative session, the records have no actual value for her intended legislative work.
This decision comes as a major development in a tense political season
Hinojosa, who represents Austin, wants to see what the governor and the billionaire have been discussing regarding state grants, tax breaks, and Musk’s interest in data centers. She is also looking for details on Musk’s interest in a public beach located near the SpaceX launch site. Her legal representation, including Chuck Herring of Herring and Panzer, argued that the current lack of transparency is hindering her ability to perform her official duties. Herring stated, “They’re preventing her from doing her job,” during the hearing.
It is worth noting that Texas lawmakers have a specific right to review public records that the general public cannot access, provided they use the information to prepare potential legislation. Hinojosa has agreed to keep the contents of these communications confidential, which is a requirement for lawmakers granted this type of access.
This situation is not entirely new. Last year, a media organization attempted a similar request for these communications. Abbott’s office released 1,374 pages, but Hinojosa noted in her October 19 lawsuit that all but 200 of those pages were either redacted or completely blacked out. The governor’s office claimed these sections were intimate and embarrassing, a stance supported by the office of Attorney General Ken Paxton.
The political stakes here are quite high. Democrats in Texas view Hinojosa and state Representative James Talarico, who is running for US Senate against Paxton, as their strongest candidates for a statewide win in over 30 years.
Musk has been a major player in the state’s political scene, having donated $500,000 to Abbott and over $200 million to support Paxton. Abbott has actively courted Musk, who has since moved the headquarters of several companies to Texas, including Tesla, SpaceX, Starlink, X, and the Boring Company.
Judge Mauzy has scheduled another hearing for November 2, which is just one day before the election. This hearing will focus on Abbott’s challenge to the court’s jurisdiction over the lawsuit, as well as Hinojosa’s request for a temporary injunction.
The case is filed as Hinojosa v. Abbott, Tex. Dist. Ct., No. D-1-GN-26-010394, 10/26/26.
Published: Oct 27, 2026 05:30 pm