Texas GOP Governor Greg Abbott filed an injunction this week to urge the United States District Court for the Eastern District in Texas to guard the National Guard members in the state from the Biden White House’s COVID-19 mandates.
The motion argues that President Biden’s unconstitutional overreach wants to undermine Gov. Abbott’s command, blur accountability lines, and endanger millions of Texan citizens.
“The Gov. of Texas does not take orders from Joe Biden,” Abbott said in a comment.
“President Biden should be held accountable for his willingness to destroy the Texas National Guard with another illegal mandate. As the commander-in-chief of the Texas militia, I will use every tool in defense of these heroes,” he said.
Abbott previously said in January his plans to sue the Biden White House over the National Guard mandate in the state.
“As the leader of the Texas militia, I won’t tolerate Biden’s pushes to force Guardsmen to get a COVID-19 vaccine,” Abbott said.
“That is why I’m suing the Biden White House over its new unconstitutional mandate,” he said.
In a message sent in Jan. Major General Tracy R. Norris, the General of the Texas Military Dept., Abbott told him not to punish National Guard members who decided not to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
“As the commander-in-chief of the militia in this state, I have gave a straightforward order to every Texas National Guard member within my command: Do not punish anyone for choosing to not get the vaccine,” the governor said.
“Although my order was in effect for many months now, President Joe Biden has muddied the waters with a vaccine from the DOD. To clear up the confusion, this letter is to every Texas guardsmen who are serving in a Title 32 status or an active duty status,” he said.
In a comment released with the Jan. letter, Abbott also placed the blame for the mandate right on Joe Biden and Washington.
“Unless Biden federalizes the National Guard, he is not your commander-in-chief in Constitutions on the federal or state level. And if I am your commander-in-chief, I won’t tolerate efforts to force receipt of the vaccine,” the governor said.
