Failed responses to one deadly tragedy after another can be laid directly at Greg Abbott’s feet: chemical explosions, hurricanes, wildfires, COVID pandemic, Texas power grid, shootings, shootings, and more shootings.
But nothing more horribly exposes Greg Abbott’s failure to keep Texas families and children safe than the murder of nineteen 4th graders and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.
Abbott failed to do his job from the outset. He first used the killings as a political photo-op. He wore color-coordinated disaster casual khakis at a press briefing. Instead of bringing comfort and clarity, he made one false statement after another. When called out for his incorrect comments, Abbott tried again with another press conference – this time trying to deflect blame and claiming to be “livid” for being misled. But even now Abbott refuses to say who misled him and what he did in response.
Uvalde could be – and should be – the last straw for the media and others who have given Greg Abbott the benefit of the doubt. Five simple and important questions that Abbott should answer immediately are posed below.
Five Questions for Greg Abbott
1.) You falsely told Texans that a police resource officer attempted to stop the shooter. You then said your statement was due to being given bad information and you were “livid” about being “misled”. Who gave you the false information, when did you learn it was false, and has anyone been fired or otherwise disciplined?
2.) How many DPS officers were among the at least 19 law enforcement who were in the school while the shootings took place, and were you notified about the shooting at any time during this nearly one-hour period? If not, why not?
3.) Why have you not yet directly ordered the Department of Public Safety to cooperate fully with the Department of Justice investigation into the shooting?
4.) You appeared in Uvalde and pledged to the parents and families of those killed that “we will be looking for the best laws we can get passed to make our communities and schools safer.” At almost the exact same time, a video was played to NRA convention-goers in which you said the “thousands of laws on the books that limit the owning of firearms” have not stopped shooters, making clear your opposition to enacting gun safety reforms. Which group heard your actual views on adopting sensible gun safety measures, the families in Uvalde or the NRA?
5.) Texas public school doors open in less than 3 months. You have rejected calling a special session and instead are taking cover behind additional meetings and hearings that won’t result in any changes before 2023. You have called special sessions for redistricting, voting laws, bathroom bills, vaccine mandates, and transgender athletes. Why are you ignoring the call from Uvalde’s State Senator Roland Gutierrez and the pleas of others around the state to call a special session on sensible gun safety measures now?
