In a recent email to activists, Grassroots America – We the People’s JoAnn Fleming argues Gov. Greg Abbott has an easy way to satisfy the growing number of Republicans ranging from frustrated to enraged with how he’s been governing the state.
Fleming characterized the growing movement across the state to censure the governor as a response to his heavy-handed actions in response to the Chinese coronavirus epidemic, an outbreak that has thankfully never come anywhere close to the woeful prognostications put forward by so-called experts like Dr. Fauci.
As Fleming puts it:
“Under the cover of unconstitutional “Emergency Powers” laws on the books, COVID-19 has been used to silence the voice of The People, expand government authority, commit taxpayers to untold debt, destroy businesses/jobs, empower socialist redistribution of wealth, put a government boot on churches, ration health care for non-COVID patients, and torch civil liberties.
“Coming on the heels of multiple lawsuits representing hundreds of plaintiffs filed against Gov. Abbott, now a grassroots revolt is underway as several Republican County Executive Committees (CECs) have passed Censure Resolutions against Gov. Abbott. As of this writing, Ector, Harrison, Montgomery, and Llano County Republican Executive Committees have passed resolutions to invoke Republican Party of Texas Censure Rule 44 against Abbott’s actions. Other CECs are meeting this week.”
The Ector County GOP’s censure took on many of the same tones.
“[T]he Ector County Republican Party finds that Governor Greg Abbott violated the third provision of the core principles by failing to preserve the freedoms of Texans when he enacted executive orders that resulted in the denial of due process to millions of Texans, constituted takings without just compensation by closing businesses without just cause, denied the people the right to freedom of assembly, and imposed onerous mandates, fines, and imprisonment upon the people.
“On this day 244 years ago, our founding fathers fought for their independence from a foe that issued mandates and collected excessive taxes. The Ector County Republican Executive Board decided it would be a fitting day for us to send a clear message to Governor Abbott. A message that we will no longer sit quietly while he overreaches his authority again, again, and again. He does this while ignoring the platform of the Republican Party. The very party whose grassroots voted him into office. So, on this 4th of July, Independence Day we, the Ector County Republican Executive Board, formally voted to censure Gov. Abbott.”
According to Fleming, Abbott should call a special session of the Texas Legislature to allow for public debate and a constitutional response to the Chinese coronavirus.
“All Governor Abbott has to do is listen to State Senators Bob Hall (R-Edgewood, SD2) and Charles Perry (R-Lubbock, SD 28), along with State Representatives Mike Lang, Matt Schaefer, Kyle Biedermann, Tony Tinderholt, and Jonathan Stickland who all publicly sounded the alarm for a special session last week. Today, the Texas House Freedom Caucus released a firm letter to Abbott, laying out the case for a special session in great detail.
“Members of the TX House Freedom Caucus are: Representatives Mayes Middleton, Matt Schaefer, Matt Krause, Kyle Biedermann, Briscoe Cain, Mike Lang, Matt Shaheen, Valoree Swanson, Tony Tinderholt, Steve Toth, and Bill Zedler.
“This is not hard or difficult to understand. Gov. Abbott should immediately call a special session of the legislature to allow for public hearings and debate about the appropriate, constitutional response to COVID-19.”
Citizens who support a special session should take their demands to their state lawmakers, not the governor, writes Fleming.
“Forget calling the Governor’s Office. He did not heed the thousands of calls during the 2019 legislative session, nor those in support of our unity project – The Lone Star Agenda, nor calls about the shutdown, contact tracing contract, etc. He and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have ignored the last several Texas Conservative Grassroots Coalition letters as we attempted to lodge our grievances.
“Call your state senator AND your state representative! Tell him/her you want them to publicly call on Abbott for a special session. Do NOT listen to any of their weasel excuses. There are none. One I’ve heard is, “The state capitol is closed. We don’t have anywhere to meet.” It is closed to the public – not to legislators. If a legislator is afraid to go in the building, tell him/her that Abbott can waive anything – so ask King Abbott to help. Besides that, the Gov. had plexiglass shields installed around the desks. Tell your legislator to wear a spiffy elephant mask or a purple mask that some of them love to sport around. Just get to work!”
The Texas Capitol switchboard can be reached by calling 512-463-4630.
