Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced he is seeking a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction in an effort to stop the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal contractors.
"The President’s blatant disdain for those who choose to not receive a vaccine will not be allowed to seep into the great State of Texas," Paxton said Monday in a statement posted on his website. "Here, we protect individual liberties first and foremost, and Texans do not have to sacrifice their beliefs and their health to preserve their livelihoods."
According to court papers, Paxton also said that President Joe Biden has weaponized the "administrative state against these federal contractors in an unprecedented overreach."
Biden in September issued an executive order mandating employees of federal contractors be vaccinated, Newsweek reported.
At least 20 states have filed lawsuits asking a federal judge to block the requirement, arguing it violates federal procurement law and is an overreach of federal power.
Fox News noted the contractor vaccine requirement has faced court challenges from states claiming the wording in the mandate is vague.
In court papers, Paxton argued the mandate will force those who work for federal contractors "to choose between their fundamental constitutional rights and their livelihoods."
"This sweeping mandate is part of the president’s unconstitutional efforts to revitalize his ‘flagging vaccination campaign’ at the cost of individual liberty. President Biden’s vaccine campaign is intended to affect almost every aspect of society and his weaponization of the administrative state against federal contractors is an unprecedented overreach.
"The state of Texas respectfully requests that the Court enjoin Defendants from implementing and enforcing the Contractor Mandate."
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request from Fox News for a comment.
Newsweek noted Paxton also filed suit on Monday challenging the administration’s vaccine mandate for health-care workers arguing that the mandate "threatens to exacerbate an alarming shortage of health-care workers."
In a Monday tweet, Paxton said: "At a time when we need healthcare workers more than ever before, amid a harrowing worker shortage, the Biden Administration has prioritized this unlawful vaccine mandate over the healthcare of all Americans. Once again Biden, I'll see you in court!"
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.