Cornyn asks DOJ to probe Smithsonian over alleged lobbying in Space Shuttle Discovery dispute

Senator John Cornyn has asked the Department of Justice to open an inquiry into the Smithsonian Institution over alleged lobbying violations tied to the dispute over custody of the Space Shuttle Discovery. The request escalates a partisan, high‑profile fight among lawmakers and museums over the orbiter's future.

Discovered 2025-10-22T13:38:58.819650-07:00 | 2025-10-22T13:38:58.819650-07:00

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A DOJ inquiry could subject Smithsonian stewardship and lobbying practices to federal legal scrutiny, affecting custody, funding and transfer approvals; this follows earlier calls from Texas lawmakers for a probe into the Institution's objections (https://hype.aero/?story=f2fbc5b8-10b8-495e-beeb-e36703f2862a).
The dispute is entwined with technical preservation and transport challenges — including that the shuttle may need partial disassembly for relocation — which complicates transfer plans and raises costs (https://hype.aero/?story=197ecb96-49df-4ee5-a80a-8f9671e6bf98).
Congress has already been debating appropriations and risk trade‑offs for moving Discovery, so the DOJ request further politicizes federal decision-making and could delay or reshape the orbiter's final disposition (https://hype.aero/?story=bc08c640-6f1b-43cf-b6f5-049361ff9b0a).

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