Posted on 04/26/2020 5:17:44 AM PDT by EyesOfTX
Texans are growing weary of their state’s stay-at-home orders and putting people out of business and jobs. Few are growing more weary of these patently unconstitutional orders than the law enforcement personnel who are tasked by craven county judges, mayors and a weak Governor to enforce those edicts.
We discussed the pushback that Harris County’s child County Judge, Lina Hidalgo, received Wednesday when she issued an order that all residents of the county of 4 million must wear a mask anytime they go out into public. That order was met by immediate responses from Houston police and Harris County sheriff’s deputies associations blasting the Judge and advising their members to refuse to destroy their relationships with the public by enforcing such an absurd, draconian and likely illegal edict.
Today, we have this very important story out of Houston:
Breitbart News ✔ @BreitbartNews Harris County law enforcement officials backed down as the owner of the Federal American Grill decided to re-open his restaurant. https://trib.al/zgaV6lH
Officials Back Down from Enforcing Coronavirus Orders Against Defiant Texas Restaurant Owner Harris County law enforcement officials backed down as the owner of the Federal American Grill decided to re-open his restaurant.
Excerpt:
Harris County law enforcement officials backed down as the owner of the Federal American Grill decided to re-open his restaurant on the city’s west side despite orders directing restaurants to be closed except for curbside orders. Multiple law enforcement agencies in Houston said they were not responsible for enforcing the ordinance.
“We’ve complied 100 percent until now,” Brice told the Houston Chronicle. “What I don’t like is that the government is picking and choosing which businesses win or lose. They are sinking the economy. We have to stand our ground and get people back to work.”
After he announced the re-opening of his restaurant for dining-in, customers flocked to his side. Brice said he is only seating up to 30 percent of his capacity in order to maintain social distancing.
…
In contrast to Dallas, Houston law enforcement officials chose to not enforce the prohibition against in-house dining at the restaurant.
“No law enforcement officers or agencies attempted to stop or cite Brice for defying Harris County’s stay-at-home order, which limits restaurants to delivery and takeout orders in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus,” the Houston Chronicle wrote.
The Houston newspaper contacted several police agencies including the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Harris County Fire Marshal, Precinct 5 Constable’s Office, and the Houston Police Department. Each said that a different agency was responsible for enforcement of the to-go or curbside only orders.
In contrast, law enforcement officials in Dallas ticketed the owner of a hair salon after she re-opened in defiance of Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins’ stay-home order, Breitbart Texas reported. [End]
So, these brave owners of one Houston’s hundreds of fine restaurants have decided to reopen their doors, and the various city and county law enforcement agencies have so far avoided confronting them by passing the buck. What will happen when the owners of those other restaurants, having observed the lack of enforcement, decide to follow suit?
Why, if the refusal to enforce the stupid orders keeps up, people might even eventually be able to get a haircut again, as salon owners inevitably join the trend. Oh, guess what? People are already getting haircuts in Georgia and Colorado, whose Republican (GA) and Democrat (CO) governors aren’t as afraid of their own shadows as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
Abbott, of course, is waiting on approval from his “strike force” consisting of no fewer than 13 committees and subcommittees before taking any action that might put people back to work, reopen businesses and allow people to eat out and have elective surgeries. As a reminder, the Governor didn’t need a single committee at all to convince him to take away people’s jobs, destroy thousands of Texas businesses and basically shut down the state’s hospitals – but for the roughly 1,400 beds in a state of 28 million being used for COVID-19 patients – back in March.
Funny how that works. And Abbott, remember, is a Republican.
The owners of the Federal American Grille are the canaries in Abbott’s coal mine, the first droplets in a very large tsunami coming his way if he doesn’t get his butt in gear and start putting this state back to work. The Governor will hold another “news” conference on Monday. If he doesn’t have some real, bold “news” to report at that conference in terms of putting Texans back to work, he is likely to have a state filled with peaceful civil disobedience on his hands by Friday.
The Texas GOP had better wake up before it loses the state entirely. Saturday afternoon, President Donald Trump issued this tweet:
Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump Remember, the Cure can’t be worse than the problem itself. Be careful, be safe, use common sense!
He may as well have been talking directly to Gov. Abbott.
That is all.
Abbott has been one of the best Governors in the US. I think most politicians don’t want to be responsible for a huge outbreak.
“Brice said he is only seating up to 30 percent of his capacity in order to maintain social distancing.”
It’s also by reservation only, you can’t just walk in off the street. The owner is doing everything right for public safety and most here applaud him.
take the patrons temp when they come in, use paper plates and plastic cutlery, byob.
He certainly doesn’t seem to be distinguishing himself here.
I love it.
Or... don’t buy into the b.s. panic, conduct business as usual, and demonstrate to everyone that COVID ISN'T THE PLAGUE! Enough already!
They have to eat with their masks on.
Some of that has to do with the fact that in Texas county judges are apparently in charge of emergencies. They have some strange laws, some I’d like to see replicated (legislature meets only every other year) and some should not (judges making decisions that are totally out of their lane).
Wimpy Abbott’s a weak sister politician at best. I don’t think anyone outside of Austin even listens to him anymore. The best thing he could do for Texas is resign and let Dan Patrick have the reins.
Are you sure you're in the right forum? ;)
I’m so incredibly disappointed in Abbott. I hope he doesn’t even run next time. I’d rather vote for Dan Patrick, who at least has guts.
It’s time for every business owner to get out there and open up.
Mark Davis had Abbott on, and asked him if he lies awake at night worrying about a new outbreak of the virus if he opens too soon. What he should have asked him is if he lies awake at night worrying about the absolute devastation he is causing so many people who can no longer WORK for a living. I’m so tired of people acting like there is only one issue that matters. The virus is SO much less dangerous to the population than this STUPID shutdown is.
For what it’s worth........
County Commissioners’ Court
Each Texas County is presided over by a Commissioners’ Court of four County Commissioners[7] and the County Judge,[8] plus the County Clerk as a non-voting ex officio member. Despite the terms “Court” and “Judge,” the County Commissioners’ Court has no judicial function, and although the County Judge presides over its meetings, the County Judge does not render judicial rulings. The Commissioners Court is just the title given in Texas to the county government, and County Judge the title given to the head of county government.[9] This body is responsible for administration of the county, controlling the county tax rate, the budget for its responsible departments, and exercising oversight over subsidiary boards and commissions.[7][10] The County Judge presides over meetings[8] but has no veto power,[11] Reviews and the court makes decisions by simply majority and is quorate with three voting members (except for levying tax where four members are required).[10] Consequently, a County Judge is primarily the chief administrator for the county, effectively the chief executive officer,[10] who exercises only limited judicial functions (varying between counties), though retaining the authority to conduct marriages and to conduct administrative hearings.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_judge
County Judge in Texas is actually equivalent to a County Commissioner or Executive in most states. It isn’t a judicial office.
Abbott better realize that the entire state cannot be held hostage and kept shut down to some arbitrary guidelines. If an outbreak happens, the hospitals are well prepared to handle the cases. Otherwise, we need to stop dragging our feet and get Texas open again.
He isn’t. Very weak.
Agreed. Patrick wants everything opened quickly. He took a great deal of heat for saying that as a 70 year old, he didn’t want to see the next generation destroyed to protect him. The elderly are being used as an excuse to destroy the nation.
You would think the state would want all businesses open. Less businesses open means less sales taxes collected.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.