A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things.
Rolling In The Deep Irony
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has tested positive for COVID-19, per a video announcement he posted yesterday.
- Abbott is vaccinated and isn’t experiencing any symptoms.
- The governor, a paraplegic, received a third booster shot, according to NBC News. The Federal Drug and Food Administration has authorized booster shots for immunocompromised people.
- Abbott seemed to encourage Texans to get the vaccine by noting that he wasn’t experiencing any symptoms.
- Abbott has been a fierce opponent of vaccine and mask mandates while hospitals in his state are getting slammed with COVID-19 cases.
- It’s not clear when the GOP governor became infected, but he has attended numerous public and private events in recent days where, photos show, masking was virtually nonexistent:
Another standing room only event in Collin County tonight.
Thank y’all for the enthusiastic reception.
Let's keep this energy up and send a message that Texas values are NOT up for grabs in 2022. pic.twitter.com/wlPZyrHpx3
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 17, 2021
That fundraiser at the Republican Club at Heritage Ranch sure looks busy. What else has been on his agenda lately?
A great day in Austin County!
These group of patriots are doing their part to keep Texas RED. pic.twitter.com/U7BUCLjTDh
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 7, 2021
India is our largest democratic ally in the world.
On Sunday, they begin celebrating 75 years of independence.
Today, I'm honored to sign a proclamation recognizing this momentous anniversary & the partnership between Texas & India. pic.twitter.com/1ga3xgDLjH
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 13, 2021
Weird, none of the hoards of infected migrants that Abbott accuses of exposing “our communities” to COVID-19 are in any of these pictures!
Arizona Governor Is Trying To Bribe Schools Into Letting Kids Get Exposed To COVID-19
Arizona district and charter schools that are “following all state laws” will receive extra funding from money allocated to the state through Congress’ last COVID-19 relief package, Gov. Doug Ducey (R) announced yesterday as several local officials defy his mask mandate ban.
- The governor made it explicitly clear that this is about rewarding local governments that don’t require masks at schools, claiming in his announcement that mandates “place more stress” on families (presumably ones that aren’t stressed about their child getting sick).
- Ducey’s announcement comes as the Florida Board of Education voted to potentially withhold funds from school districts that have refused to comply with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ (R) mask mandate ban.
- Florida’s announcement hasn’t deterred the Alachua County School Board from upholding its mask mandate, however:
To protect students, staff and the community and to keep our schools open, the School Board has voted unanimously to extend the district's mask mandate for eight weeks.
— Alachua Schools (@AlachuaSchools) August 18, 2021
Key Analysis
“‘Breaking point’: Why the red state/blue city conflict is peaking over masks” – CNN
FBI Investigates Election Data Leak To QAnon Circles
The FBI in Denver is joining the investigation into a leak of Mesa County’s election data to an infamous QAnoner that was allegedly assisted by county clerk Tina Peters.
- The feds are working with the Mesa County district attorney “on the forensic review and analysis of county voting systems to determine if there was a potential federal criminal violation,” a FBI spokesperson told CNN.
- Peters went to MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell’s “Cyber Symposium” circus last week and accused the Colorado secretary of state of victimizing her “because I am a Republican, I’m a conservative and she’s not.”
Let The Georgia GOP’s Election Hijacking Begin
The Georgia State Board of Elections will appoint a panel to review Fulton County’s elections process at Republicans’ request today.
- It’s the next step in Georgia Republicans’ efforts to take control of the county’s elections process after its heavily blue majority helped flip the state to Biden.
Earthquake Devastation In Haiti
The death toll of Haiti’s enormous earthquake this weekend is at nearly 2,000, and more than 9,000 people have been injured.
Thoughts And Prayers
New York Attorney General Letitia James is moving forward with her bid to dissolve the National Rifle Association (NRA).
- The corruption running rampant within the organization has “continued unabated,” James wrote in a new court filing this week.
Saluting The Taliban To Own The Libs
Conservatives have offered weird takes on Taliban ideology over the last couple of days:
Love this for these guys. pic.twitter.com/xLXvRWDbZt
— Cody Johnston (@drmistercody) August 18, 2021
Conservatives going all in on the Taliban pic.twitter.com/rzca6TOeIm
— The Serfs (@theserfstv) August 17, 2021
The Taliban are the only people building back better.
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) August 16, 2021
Tucker Carlson claims we lost to the Taliban because of gender studies. pic.twitter.com/ACD8C7F3ZQ
— nikki mccann ramírez (@NikkiMcR) August 17, 2021
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