Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton warns Austin to drop mask mandate by 6 p.m. or be sued

[turbinetree]

Source: The Texas Tribune

Austin and Travis County officials said they would continue to require masks even after Gov. Greg Abbott ended his statewide mandate.

BY REESE OXNER MARCH 10, 2021 UPDATED: 4:12 PM

https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/bdSpS9KFUQdkqVkoe29dup7NGIs=/850x570/smart/filters:format(webp):quality(75)/

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is threatening to sue Travis County and the City of Austin if officials don't back down on local orders that continue to require masks despite Gov. Greg Abbott ending the statewide mask mandate on Wednesday.

Austin and Travis County public health leaders recently announced they would continue to require masks, even though Abbott forbade local authorities from superseding his order. Only county judges can order COVID-19 restrictions if hospitalizations from the virus rise above 15% of the bed capacity in that hospital region for seven straight days.

Violating the city's public health order would be a Class C misdemeanor, but the city planned to continue to only enforce "the most egregious cases," Austin Mayor Steve Adler said in a video message posted late Tuesday before Paxton's announcement. An Austin spokesperson said they would soon respond to Paxton's threat.

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2021/03/10/texas-ken-paxton-austin-mask-mandate/

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So my question to the citizens of Texas
A) Why is this jerk still in office?
B) Why hasn't he been disbarred?
C) Is he not under indictment for breaking some laws down there?
D) all of the above

[leftieNanner]

1. Paxton has been able to deflect and delay his legal problems

From what I understand. He's been doing a Trump.

But at some point, those tactics have to end.

Oh, heck. Who knows? It's Texas after all.

[Irish_Dem]

2. A State can sue a city and county for trying to save lives?

[bluestarone]

5. Kinda how i was thinking

That should be an interesting lawsuit huh?

[Irish_Dem]

9. "Your honor, the State of Texas doesn't want seat belt laws or alcohol limits

when driving."

[Stuart G]

32. You defined it perfectly..."NO SEAT BELT LAWS"...."NO BOOZE LIMITS"

This particular idiot hasn't got a clue...so stupid and self concerned.......repeat:

"NO SEAT BELT LAWS...NO BOOZE LIMITS."

remember this:........Stupid is, What Stupid IS!!!!............................................

..............................THIS PERSON IS REALLY VERY STUPID...!!!!!!.............................

[cannabis_flower]

40. Wait...

That’s not true. Texas has a seatbelt law and drunk driving is illegal!

[COL Mustard]

20. I Guess He Thinks He Outranks Them

Reminds me of "The Producers"..."I am the playwright. You are just the audience. I outrank you!"

[dsc]

26. It depends

Some states have what is called home rule which gives cities the right to pass laws, in others cities are considered the creation of the states they are in. In those states, a city can't pass laws if a state doesn't want them to. Most states are in between where cities can pass laws with oversight from the state.

[jmowreader]

30. Austin is a home rule city. I looked it up.

If I was the mayor of Austin, I’d tell him to go ahead and sue. As a home rule corporation, Austin has the authority to do what it’s doing.

[IronLionZion]

31. Red states are weird like that

which is why it's time to turn Texas blue

[TexasTowelie]

3. Shouldn't that be "questions" instead of "question" at the end of your OP?

As far as answers:

A. Texas has no provisions for recalling state officials.
B. The Texas Bar won't touch him without a conviction.
C. Yes, for more than five years.

[Sapient Donkey]

4. Wait, what?

Seriously?

[Butterflylady]

6. Do you think Paxton knows how dumb that sounds?

Naaa.........I don't think so either.

[Laelth]

7. This is really stupid.

I am picturing the Texas Bureau of Investigation (agents of the executive branch) marching through downtown Austin in riot gear with bullhorns out telling people to take off their masks. At the same time, Austin City Police is issuing citations to businesses and people who refuse to follow the mandate.

This will end well.

-Laelth

[COL Mustard]

21. Cops Arresting Cops. Film At 11.

Popcorn?

[GB_RN]

8. D Isn't Right

He’s not under indictment for violation of Tex-ass law. He’s under federal indictment, facing securities fraud charges…going on 5 years or so now.

[rickyhall]

10. How stupid can they get? We'll see.

[MFM008]

11. Id say bring it

Bitch.

[kacekwl]

12. This is from the Onion

Right ? Something so stupid can't be real.

[Comfortably_Numb]

24. Clearly you aren't in/from Texas. Hold our beer.

[BigmanPigman]

13. I hope they stay in TX and don't come to CA.

Can other states close the borders? Is that too extreme or is it necessary to stop the spread of variants at this crucial two month window in the US when we see the variants explode.

[Lonestarblue]

14. Answers to your questions.

a) We have a very large ruby red population in the rural areas of Texas that would vote for any Republican regardless of any crimes committed. Otherwise, we would have Godless communists and socialists running Texas.
b) He probably can’t be disbarred until his court cases are settled. That said, Texas is full of corrupt lawyers just like Paxton, and some of them are most likely on the state Bar of Texas.
c) Paxton was indicted FIVE years ago for felony securities fraud. He has used all kinds of maneuvers to delay the case, including getting it moved to different courts around the state. He’s been judge shopping, though it isn’t difficult to find judges in Texas who seem to think that Republicans have a right to be corrupt.

We can only try to defeat him next year. But think about the idiots Texas has elected to the House. Louie Gohmert has to rank at the bottom of the IQ scale, and he has company from some other fellow Texas Representatives.

[Mc Mike]

15. Shouldn't that cockeyed nazi be checking into the federal prison system, soon?

[Withywindle]

16. Stand your ground, Austin!

It's a great city, incredible food and music and very solidly blue. I have friends there. Used to go to SxSW every year.

[TexasTowelie]

17. Paxton is picking on Austin.

Other cities in Texas are still requiring masks, but he picks Austin to sue because he believes that it will draw him support.

[Evolve Dammit]

18. Well bless his little (miniscule) black heart and loss of his soul. It is malicious and criminal.

[Bev54]

19. Could the courts just hurry up and put this MF in prison! n/t

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

22. Why should Austin live while the rest of Texas dies?

[BlueNProud]

23. Paxton is a deeply damaged "human being"

[rurallib]

25. He lives and works in Austin, right?

Hope he gets picked up on a mask charge!

[Stuart G]

37. Maybe he will also get Covid 19...for not wearing a mask...note I said ."maybe".(not wishing on him)

[johnthewoodworker]

27. Republican/Nazi 'truthiness' interferes with their ability to understand science.

[flying_wahini]

28. I can say this because I am a Texan, but Ken Paxton is a mean self-righteous SOB.

He is one crazy MF’r. His overinflated ego is completely over the top.

He doesn’t want the govt telling you what to do unless HE is telling you what he wants you to do.

I can’t wait for BETO to be Governor.

[KS Toronado]

39. Paxton will yell "Our Free Dumbs" at congress, but won't allow others to have freedoms.

[Catherine Vincent]

29. I'll tell you why this criminal is still there...

He's a republican and our governor is a republican!

[LudwigPastorius]

33. Hey, Kenny...

Go fuck yourself you Picasso-faced criminal!

[mdbl]

34. WTF is that Texas or Russia?

How weird.

[Stuart G]

35. Stupid is what Stupid IS, This fellow IS VERY STUPID & BEYOND STUPID..SO STUPID--

Ken Paxton...is so stupid, ---THAT HE DOESN'T KNOW, THAT HE IS STUPID..!!!!!

[dchill]

36. E) How is that even legal?

[Warpy]

38. Why hasn't this piece of shit faced trial yet?

He was indicted FIVE FUCKING YEARS AGO. Has he been allowed to sit on his own prosecution?

It might be time for the Feds to step in.

[The Wizard]

41. I wear a mask

to show some common decency, and it's a subtle reminder that I'm not a Republican.

[LiberalLovinLug]

42. That's kind of sad really

Paxton is causing a further divide, and is helping to stoke the flames that mask wearing is a political action, not a health wise action. I can only see more antagonism at stores with the entitled red hats who now have State law behind them.