Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) has filed a lawsuit against the city of Austin for maintaining a local order requiring the use of face masks after governments eliminated Greg Abbott (R) from the state-wide mask mandate.
The case has been filed Austin Mayor Steve Adler (D), Judge Andy Brown in Travis, and Mark Escott, who die interim Medical Director and Health Authority for Austin, CNN report.
‘I told Travis County and the city of Austin to comply with the state masks law. They blew me away. I’ll drag them to court again, ‘Paxton said. tweeted.
Abbott announced March 2 that he will lift the mask mandate of Texas and other coronavirus restrictions, although Austin officials have indicated this week that they will hold a mask mandate in the city.
The lawsuit filed on Thursday states that inseparate businesses can decide whether they want customers to wear masks, but claim that Abbott’s executive order prohibits local government from enforcing mask mandates.
Paxton has asked the court for a temporary restraint so Austin cannot enforce his mask order, according to CNN.
“The Attorney General’s Office has filed a lawsuit against the City of Austin and Travis County. Travis County does not have to rely on the enforcement of its orders to hold our community accountable. Although the Commissioner’s court order “is valid, Travis County will not continue to do so. any enforcement actions of this order subject to the court,” Brown’s office said in a statement to CNN.
Paxton warned Adler said Wednesday that he will charge if the mask mandate is not lifted.
“The decision to require masks or otherwise impose COVID-19 operating limits is expressly reserved for private businesses on their own premises. It does not rest with jurisdictions such as the City of Austin or Travis County or their local health authorities,” Paxton said. said. .
However, after the threat, Adler said he would fight back if there was a lawsuit.
“Judge Brown and I will continue to do everything in our power, using every tool at our disposal to reduce the spread of the virus, to keep as many people alive as possible, to keep schools safe for more personal learning and “We will fight the attacks of Governor Abbott and Attorney General Paxton against doctors and data for as long as we can,” Adler said.
Brown said in a statement to The Hill that the Texas Attorney General is failing to make community health a priority.
‘I will continue to listen to our public health authorities, medical professionals and the CDC who have consistently said that masks save lives. “It is unfortunate that the Attorney General is again failing to make the health of our community a priority,” Brown said.
The Hill reached out to Paxton and Adler for further comment.
19:39 updated