Key facts
- Texas AG candidate Nathan Johnson alleges a $110 million grant to Elon Musk's SpaceX for Starlink "sure looks like" corruption.
- Johnson vows to investigate the grant if elected, citing concerns over favoritism and transparency.
- The grant was awarded after Texas revised rules to favor low-Earth-orbit satellite providers.
- Governor Greg Abbott defended the grant as essential for providing internet to remote areas.
- Johnson is running against Republican opponent Mayes Middleton.
Nathan Johnson, a Texas Democrat vying for the state's attorney general position, has stated that a $110 million grant awarded to Elon Musk's SpaceX for its Starlink satellite internet program "sure looks like" corruption. Johnson, currently a state senator, expressed his intention to investigate the deal if elected, citing concerns about the fairness and transparency of the grant process.
In an interview with The Dallas News, Johnson highlighted that SpaceX received 99% of the available grant funds. He noted that the grant rules were reportedly revised by Governor Greg Abbott's office to favor low-Earth-orbit satellite providers, a move that has drawn criticism from companies offering ground-based fiber broadband.
Johnson questioned officials from the Texas broadband development office (BDO) in June, who confirmed that changes to the grant-awarding structure were made at the governor's request to align with practices in other states. The committee's chair, Republican Charles Schwertner, also acknowledged concerns regarding favoritism and transparency.
Governor Abbott's office defended the grants, stating that low-Earth-orbit satellite service is crucial for providing high-speed internet to remote areas where traditional fiber infrastructure is prohibitively expensive and slow to deploy. While records indicate Elon Musk has made political donations, there is no direct suggestion of a link to these specific grants.
Johnson has campaigned on an anti-corruption platform and has framed his potential investigation into the SpaceX grants as a key promise to the electorate.