As a native Texan, this is just embarrassing
Being a native Texan gets more embarrassing all the time. Not only has our crazy Texas governor, Greg Abbott, lifted all Covid-related safety mandates (with less than 10% of the state vaccinated), but our crazy attorney general, Ken Paxton, has threatened to sue our Austin leaders for requiring masks in their city and county.
Paxton sent a letter to Austin Mayor Steve Adler and Travis County Judge Andy Brown, threatening he would sue unless mask mandates in place were rescinded by Wednesday, March 10, at 6:00 pm. Ever the professional, Paxton’s letter was accompanied by a tweet stating, “City/county leaders must not be thinking clearly. Maybe it’s oxygen deprivation from quintuple-masking.” You’re just a hoot, Paxton. Or you would be if you were in kindergarten, maybe. (He was probably a bully then, too.)
The leaders of Austin and Travis County have said they will not back down on their mask requirements, and anticipate to be sued today. Adler said, “we promised the people in this community a long time ago that we would be driven by the data and the doctors and we are going to make good on that promise for however long we can.” Good for them.
The Austin leaders are supported by Dr. Mark Escott, their interim health authority, who said in a statement, “…we are not in a place of herd immunity and need people to wear face coverings in public and around non-household members so we can avoid another surge of cases.”
This is just ridiculous. Austin is a college town and a very liberal area. I’m willing to bet the overwhelming majority of people there would be masking regardless. Abbott and Paxton are just postering for Trump and the MAGAts again. We badly need to turn this state blue so we can get rid of these idiots. I’m also betting they’re making that job easier.
