Greg Abbott Caves After His Border Inspection Sham Backfires

Gov. Greg Abbott caved to pressure from Republicans and Democrats and ended his sham obstruction of the border with truck inspections.

The Houston Chronicle reported:

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott relented Wednesday, agreeing to ease the additional safety inspections of trucks at the busiest border entry point near Laredo in exchange for promises of more border security by Mexican officials along one 8-mile stretch of the border.

The move comes after Abbott endured days of withering criticism from both Democrats and Republicans and faced pushback from shipping companies and the Texas Trucking Association.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki blasted Abbott with the facts of what his political stunt was doing to the American people. Gov. Abbott was heavily criticized by business groups, Republicans, and Democrats for a move that reeked of an election year stunt.

If pressure from across the political spectrum had not been put on Abbott, he would not have backed down with his tail between his legs.  The Texas governor will demand praise for the bit of increased security that he got, but the facts are that Abbott retreated because his stunt to earn cheap political points backfired, and he had to get out before the fallout worsened.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association