Subhi Agrawal
The creator of the party game Cards Against Humanity has filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk’s SpaceX, alleging that the company trespassed on and caused damage to property owned by the game company in Texas.
The Conflict Centers On A Piece Of Vacant Land
On Thursday, September 19, the lawsuit was filed in Texas court, asking for $15 million in compensation for damages that even include what the company describes as the destruction of natural vegetation.
The conflict centers on a piece of vacant land near Brownsville, Texas, far from Cards Against Humanity’s main office in Chicago. The game maker purchased the land in 2017 as part of a stunt aimed at hindering then-President Donald Trump’s plan to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Although no wall was built on the property, the company maintains a “No Trespassing” sign there, according to their statement.
However, the land is located near SpaceX’s Starbase operations, and according to the lawsuit, SpaceX has been using the property without authorization for approximately six months as a staging area for construction activities, which include clearing vegetation, parking vehicles, storing gravel, and operating generators.
Lawsuit Claims Environmental Harm
According to NBC News, the lawsuit says, CAH acquired the Property for the sole purpose of ensuring that it would stay that way.”
“SpaceX’s abuse of this Property has not only destroyed its natural condition, but has also caused even greater harm to CAH by virtue of the damage it has caused to CAH’s relationship with its paying supporters,” it says.
Cards Against Humanity stated that it purchased the land after 150,000 people contributed $15 each through a crowdfunding campaign. The company mentioned that if it wins the lawsuit, it plans to distribute any awarded money to the original 150,000 donors, with each person receiving up to $100.
SpaceX, which conducts rocket launches in the area, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday. Elon Musk, the CEO, also did not provide an immediate response to the request for comment.
Musk has been steadily relocating many of his business operations to Texas, including those of SpaceX, Tesla, and X.
Cards Against Humanity stated that it had raised concerns with SpaceX about the alleged trespassing and damage, as detailed on a website the company created about the lawsuit. According to the game maker, SpaceX responded with a “lowball offer” to purchase the land for “less than half” its actual value, giving them only 12 hours to accept. Cards Against Humanity said it declined the offer.
SpaceX Has Violated Environmental Regulations
SpaceX has experienced significant demand for its rocket and satellite-launch services. This month, it sent four private citizens on a historic mission 870 miles above Earth, marking the highest altitude reached by humans since 1972.
However, the rocket company has faced controversy regarding its dependence on government contracts and its dominance in the market.
According to CNBC, a state agency reported last month that SpaceX has violated environmental regulations at its Texas launch facility by repeatedly releasing pollutants into or near bodies of water.
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