SpaceX president says in companywide email that she doesn't believe sexual misconduct allegations against Elon Musk

In an email to employees last week, Shotwell defended Musk after it was reported that the company paid a flight attendant $250,000 after she accused Musk of propositioning her for sex.

Let me be clear, that's not true, that's not true, that's not true, that's not true, that's not true, that's not true, that's not true, that's not true, that's not true Zero tolerance is what I'm saying. Everyone at SpaceX deserves to be treated with respect. Every accusation of harassment is taken very seriously. Shotwell wrote in a Friday email to employees that HR thoroughly investigates all claims that are brought to their attention.

She said that she believes the allegations to be false because she has worked closely with him for 20 years and never heard anything similar.

Musk told Insider that there is more to the story and that it was a political hit piece.

He wrote that if he were to engage in sexual harassment, it would be the first time in his entire career that it came to light.

Musk and the legal department of the company did not deny that the flight attendant was given a $250,000 severance payment.

In Shotwell's email to employees, she said that she wouldn't comment on any legal matters involving employment issues.

The email that Shotwell sent was not immediately responded to by the company.

A friend of the flight attendant told Insider that Musk asked her to come to his room during a late 2016 flight for a full body massage.

According to the declaration, the attendant declined and continued with the massage. The flight attendant told her friend that after she refused Musk's advances, her work opportunities began to decline. The attendant hired an employment lawyer and sent a complaint to the human resources department.

The company quickly resolved the complaint after Musk personally attended and agreed to the $250,000 payment in exchange for a promise from the attendant that she wouldn't sue over the claims.

Female employees at the company have complained about a culture of sexual harassment. In December, a former engineer for the company wrote that she had had to bring multiple incidents of sexism to the attention of HR, though it is unclear if Musk was involved in or aware of the claims.