Gov. Greg Abbott has secured a temporary court stay preventing his Democratic challenger, state Rep. Gina Hinojosa (D-Austin), from inspecting unredacted communications between the governor’s office and companies associated with Elon Musk ahead of the November 3 election.
The Texas Fifteenth Court of Appeals paused an order requiring access by 10 a.m. Thursday. Abbott’s office announced the development on October 28. The stay delays disclosure while the legal dispute continues; it does not decide whether Hinojosa ultimately has a right to inspect the records.
How The Records Fight Reached The Appeals Court
Hinojosa filed suit October 19, arguing that her position as a state legislator entitled her to inspect the records. Travis County District Judge Catherine Mauzy ordered the governor’s office Monday to permit inspection by October 29, according to Courthouse News Service and KXAN reporting on the proceeding.
The appeals court paused that requirement Tuesday and gave Hinojosa 14 days to respond to Abbott’s petition challenging the case. The governor’s separate effort to have the lawsuit dismissed remains unresolved, according to the latest court coverage.
The underlying dispute concerns 1,374 pages of communications involving the governor’s office and Musk’s businesses. The Texas Newsroom obtained the records after a public information request, but all except approximately 200 pages were fully redacted, according to its reporting. The content of the withheld passages has not been publicly established.
Abbott’s Office Accuses Hinojosa Of Misusing Her Position
“This was a sham lawsuit in a rigged district court,” Abbott Press Secretary Andrew Mahaleris said in the governor’s October 28 statement. “The trial court judge refused to follow the law and rubber-stamped an illegal fishing expedition into the Governor’s Office. The appeals court rightly froze this abuse of process.”
Hinojosa has argued that she seeks the records because of the growing influence of technology executives in Texas, per The Hill. She maintains that state law permits her to inspect the communications in her legislative capacity.
Judge’s Campaign Donation Becomes Part Of Dispute
Abbott’s general counsel, Trevor Ezell, also raised questions about Mauzy’s impartiality after reports that she donated $500 to Hinojosa’s campaign in June. He alleged Hinojosa timed her filing to reach Mauzy and requested the judge’s removal, according to reporting of the October 27 filing.
The source of the donation funds was not established in that reporting, and the appeals court did not rule on the allegations. Hinojosa campaign spokesman Tommy Kubitschek responded to the donation controversy by questioning Musk’s financial support of Abbott, according to Bloomberg Law.
Hinojosa’s Legislative Record Has Drawn Previous Criticism
The legal battle follows other disputes between the gubernatorial candidates over education policy.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Abbott criticized Hinojosa during an October 9 Moms for Liberty event in Dallas over her votes on school athletics and parental authority.
Texas House journals reviewed in that reporting show Hinojosa voted against House Bill 25 in 2021, which generally requires public school athletic teams to be designated by sex, and against Senate Bill 12 and House Bill 1106 in 2025, measures addressing student “social transitions” and parental decisions. Hinojosa has also opposed Abbott’s school-choice initiative.
These policy disagreements are separate from the court’s pending decision on access to the Musk-related records.
What Happens Next
The appellate stay removes the immediate October 29 disclosure deadline. Hinojosa’s response to Abbott’s challenge is due within the period established by the appeals court. Neither the underlying records dispute nor the request involving Mauzy’s participation has been finally resolved.
Early voting ends Friday, October 30. The gubernatorial election is Tuesday, November 3.
