‘Get off the TV’: critics criticize Abbott for handling Texas power outages after the winter storm

‘Get off the TV’: critics criticize Abbott for handling Texas power outages after the winter storm

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Critics are criticizing Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) for his handling of a winter storm that devastated the state this week, cutting power and heating to millions for more than three days and counting during a record-breaking cold wave.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Abbott blamed the Texas Electric Reliability Council for not being properly prepared for the storm and promised reform.

“The Texas Electric Reliability Council has been anything but reliable for the past 48 hours,” said Abbott. “Many Texans are without energy and heating for their homes, as our state faces freezing temperatures and harsh winter weather. This is unacceptable. “

But it was Abbott’s comments during an interview with Fox News earlier this week that drew the ire of the governor’s most severe critics.

“It shows how the New Deal Green would be a deadly business for the United States of America,” said Abbott during an appearance on Sean HannitySean Patrick HannityTrump as the Senate debates his role in inciting Capitol mob Laura Ingraham rips Trump’s impeachment lawyer: ‘It was terrible’ Trump’s lawyer says he ‘will do better’ after GOP criticism MOREprogram. “It just shows that fossil fuel is needed by the state of Texas, as well as other states, to ensure that we will be able to heat our homes in the winter and cool our homes in the summer.”

“So many Texans are in desperate conditions without heat, water and little relief,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezTexas lawmakers’ tweets mocking California’s power outages resurface amid the winter storm The Memo: Biden comes out of Trump’s shadow Governor of Puerto Rico: Congress’ morally obliged ‘to act on state vote (DN.Y.), the most active supporter of the Green New Deal in Congress, responded on Twitter. “Governor Abbott needs to stop talking about TV and start helping people. After that, he needs to read a book about his own state’s power supply. I will be preparing TX relief emails if he needs help. . ”

Other critics offered similar thoughts about Abbott’s stance on energy infrastructure during the crisis across the state.

Former Texas Democratic Congressman Beto O’Rourke said Tuesday night that the Lone Star State was bordering on a “failed state” under Abbott’s leadership, and criticized the Republican for focusing too heavily on cultural issues.

“The energy capital of North America cannot provide enough energy to heat and power people’s homes,” said O’Rourke. “We are approaching a failed state in Texas. And it has nothing to do with God or natural disasters. It has everything to do with those in positions of public trust who have failed us.”

With millions of people still without power and struggling to take vulnerable residents to heating centers or find running water, Texas utilities Austin Energy said on Wednesday that some customers can expect to be without power for up to a week .

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