California Gov. Gavin Newsom and tech billionaire Elon Musk have found some common ground

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and tech billionaire Elon Musk have found common ground with their shared disdain for a controversial state agency – and Republicans are misrepresenting the governor's position as they threaten to withhold disaster aid.

The Democratic governor and Donald Trump's "first buddy" have clashed over wildfire recovery efforts, but they have both been sharply critical of the California Coastal Commission, which is tasked with protecting the state’s coast and could stand in the way of rebuilding homes destroyed by the Palisades fire, reported Politico.

“The real red pill will come when people try to get permits to rebuild their homes and face multiyear waits,” Musk posted on his X platform. “This might finally spell doom for the Coastal Commission, which should not even exist as an organization.”

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Musk has wrangled with the commission, which has been emblematic of the tension between housing production and environmental preservation, over SpaceX rocket launches and claims of political bias, and Newsom surprised many by siding with the tech CEO last year in that ongoing dispute.

The governor has already issued an executive order that suspends permit requirements under the 1976 Coastal Act that established the commission and the California Environmental Quality Act to smooth the process for rebuilding homes, businesses and other structures, but congressional Republicans are parroting Musk's attack to threaten to withhold federal relief funding to the state.

“Even as California bureaucrats refuse to allow homes and businesses to be rebuilt, Congress will be asked to take money from Americans in all 50 states and give it to California. Would you vote to send federal money to California under these circumstances?” posted Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) on X, in response to a former candidate for Los Angeles County supervisor saying the commission will “never in a million years allow these homes to be rebuilt.”

The Coastal Act already includes an exemption, which Newsom mirrored in his order, for rebuilding and repairing buildings damaged in natural disasters so long as the new construction doesn’t exceed 110 percent of the original footprint and height, and the governor's spokesperson said the order also waives the need for resident to apply for an exemption and would cover buildings that potentially don't qualify.

“For any rebuilding that needs to happen, there shouldn’t be any additional ‘development permit’ that needs to be secured,” said Minjee Kim, a professor in urban planning at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.

California legislators in recent years have sought to roll back the commission's authority to allow housing production in coastal cities, and commissioners took a shot at Musk for spreading inaccurate information that adds to residents' stress after losing their homes.

“For people who are in a very emotional state to have prominent figures spreading misinformation and lies about the permitting process and people’s ability to rebuild, it’s just counterproductive,” said commission chair Justin Cummings.