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Today's stories
KEN PAXTON is doing a lot of heavy lifting for Governor Greg Abbott these days.
Yesterday, the Attorney General issued a letter to three counties (Dallas, Bexar, Travis), encouraging them to clarify local orders deemed unlawful and in Austin's case Orwellian.
“Unfortunately, a few Texas counties and cities seem to have confused recommendations with requirements and have grossly exceeded state law to impose their own will on private citizens and businesses.”
DEMOCRATS filed two more election lawsuits this week. The first suit is another crack at gutting Texas mail-in balloting rules that have been in place for years.
In the second suit, a Democrat activist and failed candidate filed a meritless lawsuit accusing Attorney General Paxton of voter fraud. The lawsuit has been panned as a political stunt.
These and future suits increase noise around the issue of expanding balloting by mail, are part of a coordinated public-relation-legal campaign aimed at unduly interfering with the free and fair administration of elections in Texas.
AN OPINIONIST from Austin missed the point by suggesting there's an issue now or will be with Gov. Abbott's executive orders lacking teeth.
Among other things missed or not considered is the consent of the governed, consent that, as it relates to hostage-at-home orders, is moving away from elected officials if it ever existed.
Data suggests citizens have and will be making decisions apart from the government when it comes to their health and safety. This is good because there isn't an elected official who has handled this crisis correctly.
State by state and county by county travel levels dropped off before folks were ordered to stay home and were returning to normal levels before orders were lifted. Abbott appears to have noticed; it's why he ordered state parks closed.
Abbott's stock is sinking (see polling) because the media is arrayed against him, he's reluctant or unable to shift gears and his orders are incongruent with the image he projects.
Hit the links
Physician: Texas Pharmacy Board limited coronavirus medicine
Judge in Flynn case takes unusual step of allowing 3rd party briefs
Tuesday night election summary: Republicans win
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