Texas Official Says Fear of Virus Is 'Emotional Condition'

[RandySF]

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) wrote that fear of contracting the coronavirus was an “emotional condition” and not a sufficient reason to request an absentee ballot.

Said Paxton: “A person ill with COVID-19 would certainly qualify as having a sickness. However, a reasonable fear of contracting the virus is a normal emotional reaction to the current pandemic and does not, by itself, amount to a ‘sickness,’ much less the type of sickness that qualifies a voter to receive a ballot by mail.”


https://politicalwire.com/2020/05/04/texas-official-says-fear-of-virus-is-emotional-condition/

[CaptYossarian]

1. He can demonstrate by licking doorknobs and toilet seats.

I fear for people who already have social anxiety. When they finally leave their homes, it will be thousands of times worse for them.

[asiliveandbreathe]

2. The same "indicted" TX ag Paxton for security fraud..

I am so sick of these people..for once, AZ has it right..you ask to be put on a Permanent Voter List (PEVL)..you get a ballot in the mail..done!!!

[Deb]

3. Ignoring COVID-19 reality is another emotional condition, I believe it is called Chicken Shititis.

[napi21]

4. So, why not lie about the reason? Something like "will be out of town" then the plans change at

the last minute.

[Gothmog]

5. the Texas Party is contesting this claim

There is a court ruling that makes Paxton's claim false.

Link to tweet

This is from Glen Maxey who was one of the Texas Democratic Party's witnesses in this lawsuit

Glen Maxey

We won first step today on the vote by mail lawsuit. Judge will enter order in next days. It will be appealed of course.

To those. Who commented asking me to wear a mask—it was on Zoom.

The court still requires a coat and tie. Thanks for all the comments on my post on how hot I looked (hot is defined by the reader). I will admit I was pant less.

And the cold AG attorney got her comeuppance when she seriously and snarkingly asked “you aren’t a medical doctor are you?” First know I hadn’t testified about anything medical.

So my response was “No. But neither is The Governor or the Attorney General.” She objected that was non-responsive. I don’t get lawyers. I was quite proud of that response.

Maybe I should have just called the AG a right wing ignorant ass. Since he issued a threat in a letter to Elections Committee Chair Klick that persons telling folks they can vote by mail using what the judge ruled today can be prosecuted

I don’t think I react well to government oppression. So stick it Kenny Paxton, courtyard bully. You don’t scare me

[Gothmog]

6. From the Harris County Attorney

Vince Ryan disagrees with Paxton http://baytownsun.com/news/article_b8e62a60-8c2b-11ea-8019-6f331bff2048.html

Earlier this week, Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan pledged support for Harris County Clerk Diane Trautman’s request for more funding for mail-in balloting from Commissioners Court over COVID-19 concerns.

Trautman said the additional funding is for an anticipated uptick in requests for mail-in ballots for the July 14 runoff elections as well as for the November election. The funds are also for personal protective equipment as a safeguard for those working the polls and in-person voters.

Ryan has also filed a “friend of the court brief” in support of a lawsuit filed by Texas Democrats before Travis County District Judge Tim Sulak. The lawsuit intends to interpret what the law says about people using the fear of contracting COVID-19 as a reason for asking to vote by mail. Sulak said the Texas Election Code provides a way for voters to the coronavirus as an excuse to use mail-in ballots, saying it creates the possibility of “injuring the voter’s health,” which is considered a disability according to Texas election codes.

“As we stated in our brief, COVID-19 is a dangerous pandemic, and citizens should not have to put their lives in danger to exercise their right to vote,” Ryan said. “We applaud (Trautman’s) efforts to prepare for an increase in mail voting and assure the Commissioners that the Travis County court is the only authoritative legal ruling for the county and the elections department use to conduct safe, secure and accessible elections.”

[gratuitous]

7. Republicans: If you're not willing to risk death to vote, you must not be very committed to voting

Ruling issued from quarantine.

[Caliman73]

8. Democrats: If you are too scared to allow more people to vote, your policies must suck!

That is the reality of the situation. Republicans know that the more people can become involved in voting, the easier voting becomes, the more Democratic policies will be voted for. They have known this for decades and have done everything in their power to stop wide spread voting.

[struggle4progress]

9. Paxton threatens election officials with prosecution

BY MICHAEL KING, 9:00AM, MON. MAY 4, 2020

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton released a letter Friday afternoon, addressed to "County Judges and Election Officials," threatening prosecution of anyone who counsels mail ballots for those not "physically disabled" ...

State District Court Judge Tim Sulak recently granted a temporary injunction, ruling that the risk of infection by the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is sufficient to enable all Texas voters to apply for mail ballots for the July 14 elections (Congressional run-offs and a Senate District 14 election in Travis County, other contests elsewhere). Paxton appealed that decision to the Third Court of Appeals, and has adopted the position that while the appeal is pending, "the District Court's order is stayed and has no effect."

However, some election officials have said they are planning for a surge in voting by mail. Earlier this week, DeBeauvoir told the Chronicle that Travis County normally receives about two VBM applications a day for an interim election like the July run-off. "Right now they're running at about 200 a day," she said.

Paxton's letter argues that the "plain language" of election law requires a narrow, personal interpretation of "sickness" or "physical condition," but he arrives at that definition only by omitting some of the plain language of the law, and insisting that "fear" of infection does not qualify as a physical condition. But the District Court ruled that all voters are potentially at risk of infection during the pandemic, and therefore voting in-person represents (as the law states) the "likelihood … of injuring the voter's health" ...

https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2020-05-04/paxton-threatens-election-officials-with-prosecution/

[Takket]

10. Translation: Biden just took a 1% lead in pollnig in Texas

gotta read between the lines with their rethugs. there is always a bigger picture.