Abbott reversed the requirement that companies must inform the public when they are storing dangerous chemicals that might burn or explode—like what happened in West, Texas just last year.
Rather than admit his mistake, apologize for putting Texas families in danger and reverse his decision, Abbott pathetically tried to dodge responsibility by saying that he was “unaware” that his office had made the decision to let companies keep their dangerous chemical stockpiles secret.
In the weeks ahead, Greg Abbott will be called on to explain and justify a whole series of actions he has taken that benefit his insider friends and donors while hurting Texas men, women and their families. We expect he will attempt to dodge responsibility with misleading statements and weak excuses unfitting of a person seeking to lead the state of Texas.
Here are just a few of the decisions made and/or actions taken by Abbott that hurt Texans and call for accountability on his part:
Abbott’s green light to predatory lenders
Greg Abbott’s office issued the letter that created a loophole for predatory payday lender outlets to proliferate across the State of Texas. Because of Abbott’s green light, there are more predatory lender outlets in Texas than there are McDonalds and Whataburgers—combined.
As a result, predatory lending runs rampant in Texas, hurting not just the very poor or financially-unsophisticated, but also mainstream hardworking Texans like teachers and even military families. In fact, predatory lenders set up shop right outside of military bases. One Army official likened it to bears waiting to feed on trout.
Greg Abbott could fix this problem he created right now by reversing course—but don’t look for that to happen. Greg Abbott knows the damage he’s doing but appears quite comfortable putting his special interest insider contributors ahead of hardworking Texans.
Abbott donors ripped off cancer research center
While serving on the oversight board of our taxpayer-funded Texas Cancer Research Institute, Greg Abbott allowed his big campaign donors to bilk Texans for $42 million dollars in research grants that were not properly reviewed or vetted.
Abbott didn’t attend even one single oversight meeting while his big contributors ran off with taxpayer money intended to go to research cancer-fighting drugs.
If Greg Abbott was “unaware” of all that, he should admit his failure and act quickly to prevent anything like that from ever happening again. Under any circumstance, Greg Abbott facilitated an inexcusable rip-off of taxpayer money that hurt vulnerable Texans suffering from cancer.
Abbott allowed Child Sexual Abuse at the Texas Youth Commission
When a Texas Ranger uncovered sexual and physical abuse of children at a Texas Youth Commission facility, the Ranger did what should have stopped the sexual abuse and started prosecutions—he reported the abuse to the attorney general’s office. Incredibly, Greg Abbott chose to do nothing.
Even though Abbott’s office had an investigator on the ground who could have gone to work to protect these children, Abbott chose instead to assign that investigator to pursue a trumped up voter fraud charge against a senior citizen.
The Ranger report was shocking in its description of children under the state’s care being raped and beaten. For more than a year, Abbott ignored the Ranger report and the abuse. It was only after the abuse was reported in major newspapers in Texas that Abbott stepped in. Even then, his prosecution of the case was incompetent. One of the abusers was acquitted and the other received a light sentence and will be back on the streets soon.
Final Word
Greg Abbott’s “unaware” excuses are damning exposure of his own character. Time and again, Abbott has chosen his own interests and those of his donor friends over the needs and concerns of Texans. He then lacks the courage to take responsibility for his actions when Texans speak out against him.
