One of Texas’ most populous counties is no longer under a COVID disaster emergency, following action by its new Republican county judge on Friday.
Tarrant County’s Tim O’Hare announced he is rescinding the declaration order imposed by his predecessor, liberal Republican Glen Whitley. The state, meanwhile, remains under Gov. Greg Abbott’s recently renewed COVID-19 Disaster Declaration, as it has been for almost three years.
Gov. Abbott has been accused of abusing his emergency powers to sign off on more than 30 “COVID-related” executive orders.
While Whitley kept an emergency declaration in place until he left office, Republican County Judge Chris Hill in nearby Collin County lifted his county’s COVID-19 emergency order in February of 2021.
Although the governor seemingly has no plans to end his monthly extensions of the statewide COVID emergency order, O’Hare followed Hill’s action as soon as he took office.
“Based on my authority under Texas law,” O’Hare posted on social media, “I am rescinding Tarrant County’s Emergency Declaration related to Covid-19 effective immediately.”
