Texas Democratic attorney general candidate Nathan Johnson pledged on Friday to investigate a $110 million state contract awarded to Elon Musk's SpaceX for rural internet provision if he wins the upcoming election.
State Senator Nathan Johnson, who secured the Democratic primary nomination in May, questioned the decision by Texas Republicans to allocate 99 percent of available rural broadband funds to the Starlink satellite program.
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In an interview with the Dallas News, Johnson expressed concern over the transparency of the bidding system managed by state officials.
"I am not declaring that corruption was at work in this instance. I am saying that it sure looks like it," Johnson said.
The candidate further emphasized that the lopsided distribution of public funds to a single corporation has generated widespread skepticism regarding the integrity of government procurement.
"Public confidence in the bidding process has been undermined," Johnson added.
Johnson later expanded on his campaign platform on social media in June, arguing that the primary responsibility of the state's top legal officer is to safeguard public resources rather than advance corporate interests.
"The AG is supposed to ensure that government serves the public good over private interests, not the other way around," Johnson said.
The controversy intensified after legislative hearings revealed that the Texas broadband development office altered its grant selection criteria following a directive from the governor's office.
Ground-based broadband providers subsequently complained that the revised guidelines effectively excluded them from competing for the funds.
