Thursday, October 26, 2023

Despite Losing At Every Level, Texas Gov. Abbott Seeks Supremes' Appeal -- On TX S.B. 12 -- A "Law" Banning Drag Performances.


Well. . . this is essentially the same law that was stricken in Tennessee -- but it is being litigated by Texas Gov. Abbott, as a wedge issue.

The law is presently enjoined -- just as the Tennessee version is. But Gov. Abbott is filing to have the Supremes weigh in. He will lose.

Here's a bit of what has transpired in the Lone Star State while we were covering Tennessee more closely.

. . .“Drag performers aren’t using taxpayer money to support their real estate developer cronies; they aren’t using burner phones to hide their affairs; they aren't avoiding lawful process, by threats; they aren’t punishing staff who speak out against them. Yet, drag performers are the ones that the Texas Senate decided to put out of a job?” said Ricardo Martinez. . . CEO at Equality Texas.

“We should all be worried about why some Texas politicians want to control which doctors we see, what stories can be told in schools, and which performers have the right to practice their art. Lawmakers tried to use drag as a scapegoat to chip away at our First Amendment rights and we’re glad the court isn’t going to allow that to happen
. . . .”


And, so it is. . . that he will lose at the highest court. . . likely by mid 2024. By then, the Tennessee version will have also been permanently stricken by the Supremes. Onward -- but what a stupid waste of taxpayer funds, to appease the hateful "christian" right. . . Damn.

[In passing, I'll note that today, the Texas legislature just sent a separate measure up to him for signature, one that purports to allow his state and local troopers to arrest people, solely on the basis that they are suspected not to be US citizens -- on sight. This is a power solely reserved to the federal government -- as it is immigration related. If someone runs a stop light, that is a concurrent state/federal matter. But the Texas state authorities possess no right to ask about immigration status, without a separate state law violation on full-on probable cause. This measure too will be stricken. Yikes.]

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