Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX-02) criticized the new restrictions on Twitter, saying, “Businesses should not comply. Lockdowns are not supported by law, they are unconstitutional edicts.”
“Law enforcement should not enforce this,” said Crenshaw. “Stop stealing people’s right to make a living.”
Asked if Crenshaw was calling on Abbott to rescind the executive order that is forcing bars to close, Justin Discigil, Crenshaw’s director of communications, said that was “correct.”
Crenshaw has criticized lockdowns since as early as June after the governor began his phases of reopening and some were calling for new lockdowns in light of rising case numbers.
“We can’t allow fear-mongers to use new cases to push for new lockdowns,” said Crenshaw. “We can trust Americans to understand the risks and safely reopen.”
The Harris County congressman also criticized a local mask mandate, but during a town hall in July, he stood behind Abbott’s statewide mask mandate.
He said that the governor made “a very good case” for the mask mandate and said that it was a “targeted measure.”
In December, Crenshaw again criticized lockdown policies.
He linked to an interview he conducted with The Daily Wire, saying, “Lockdowns are unscientific and the minimal benefits do not come close to justifying the extreme costs on lives and livelihoods.”
“So-called ‘leaders’ who continue to implement lockdowns with no regard to the lives they’re destroying should resign,” said Crenshaw.
In the interview, Crenshaw said that “there’s almost no benefits” to lockdowns.
“The virus spreads as the virus spreads. The trend lines in different regions, in different countries, how the spread happens, and how it declines don’t appear to change all that much when you compare lockdown policies,” said Crenshaw.
During the Daily Wire interview, Crenshaw maintained that he does not “have a problem with masks because it doesn’t cost us anything,” and noted that the government should have focused on things such as hospital capacity, vaccine development, and PPE production.
Though according to Crenshaw, the lockdowns have become “unscientific” and destroy businesses.
Under Abbott’s executive orders, currently 149 out of Texas’ 254 counties are under renewed lockdown restrictions that close bars and increase occupancy limits on other businesses.
Abbott’s office had not responded to a request for comment by the time of publishing.
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Daniel Friend
Daniel Friend is the Marketing and Media Manager for The Texan. After graduating with a double-major in Political Science and Humanities, he wrote for The Texan as a reporter through June 2022. In his spare time, you're likely to find him working on The Testimony of Calvin Lewis, an Abolition of Man-inspired novel and theatrical podcast.
