By allowing SpaceX to operate on the game's land, Musk 'casts the shadow of possible association' between himself and Cards Against Humanity. — Reuters
The maker of Cards Against Humanity, the popular adult party game, has sued Elon Musk's SpaceX, alleging the company has trespassed on its land in Cameron County and caused damage.
The suit, filed last Thursday against Space Exploration Technologies Corp, accused the company of clearing the vegetation on the lot, putting down gravel and allowing SpaceX and contractors "to run and park its vehicles all over the property."
"SpaceX has treated the Property as its own for at least six months," the suit alleges, disregarding Cards Against Humanity's property rights and the safety of those on "what has become a worksite."
The game company is seeking up to US$15mil (RM63) from SpaceX and a permanent injunction barring SpaceX from any use or occupation of the site.
Cards Against Humanity, known for its "humourous and irreverent" content, as described in the suit, purchased the vacant land in 2017 "to take a stand against the building of a Border Wall" and against President Donald Trump. In the game, players use cards to fill in blanks with answers that are often political, crude or considered offensive; the company calls the product "a party game for horrible people."
The company used a supporter-funded campaign to pay for the land, the suit said, and the purchase was an effort by the company "to draw attention to another example of injustice and hubris on the part of a high-profile billionaire who was more interested in his own aggrandisement than in the good of the people."
Since buying the land, Cards Against Humanity has mowed it and maintained it in its natural state. The suit accuses SpaceX of entering the property, bringing in generators to run equipment and lights and using the land to store gravel, large construction equipment and vehicles. The court filing includes photos showing gravel and construction materials, which the game company said were taken recently on its land.
In addition to trespassing and damaging the property, SpaceX harmed Cards Against Humanity's relationship and reputation with its supporters, the game company alleged.
The suit said it is "particularly offensive" that a company owned by Elon Musk has damaged the land, citing Musk's support for Trump and a border wall, which the game's supporters donated to "for the sole purpose of stopping such behavior."
By allowing SpaceX to operate on the game's land, Musk "casts the shadow of possible association" between himself and Cards Against Humanity. "Nothing could be more offensive to CAH nor more harmful to its reputation with its supporters."
Cards Against Humanity is seeking damages to cover the costs of restoring and repairing the property, loss of market value of the property, payment for SpaceX's use of the land and additional compensation, calling SpaceX's actions "unequivocally and unquestionably fraudulent, malicious and willful."
SpaceX has not yet responded to the suit, which was filed late Thursday night. – San Antonio Express-News/Tribune News Service
