Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in Republican PR Scam Breaks His Own Executive Orders

DALLAS, Texas — The Texas Supreme Court on Thursday granted a motion to release Dallas salon owner Shelley Luther, who was sentenced to seven days in jail for defying orders to keep her business closed during the pandemic.

The order came soon after Gov. Greg Abbott announced he was modifying his recent executive orders related to the coronavirus pandemic to eliminate jail time for Texans who violate the restrictions. The move by Abbott was an attempt to release Luther, and prevent the jailing of others who have violated similar orders in recent weeks.

Luther, who state district Judge Eric Moyé found in contempt of court earlier this week, kept her Salon a la Mode running while violating stay-at-home orders and despite receiving a cease-and-desist letter from Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, as well as a temporary restraining order Moyé, a Democrat, signed that told Luther her business must remain closed.

After Luther was jailed this week, her attorneys — who include state Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, and Warren Norred, a member of the State Republican Executive Committee — asked the state’s highest civil court, which consists of all Republicans, on Wednesday to immediately order her release.

Abbott in his statement Thursday said his order is retroactive to April 2 and supersedes local directives.

Several attorneys though said Abbott’s order would not have immediately freed Luther. David Coale, an attorney in Dallas, described it as “apples and oranges” — Abbott barred criminal prosecution based on violation of his executive orders. But Luther had been jailed on contempt of court charges, because she refused to follow Moyé’s orders.

“Court orders are always potentially enforceable by jail,” Coale said. A spokesperson with the Dallas County Sheriff’s office also told news outlets before the court order Thursday that Abbott’s announcement would not immediately impact Luther.

Up until Abbott’s announcement Thursday, Texans who didn’t obey the governor’s executive orders related to the virus could have faced up to 180 days in jail.

Abbott spokesperson John Wittman said Thursday that while jail time has been removed, other punishments such as fines or license suspensions, still applies.

At the end of March, Abbott issued orders that directed Texans to stay at home unless they were doing essential services and activities. Abbott announced about a month later that he would allow a number businesses in Texas to reopen under certain restrictions, rolling out directives for stores, restaurants and malls first and, more recently, hair salons, barbershops and pools, which will begin to reopen Friday.

Abbott on Thursday also mentioned that his modifications “may also ensure” that others in similar cases “should not be subject to confinement.” Abbott referenced Ana Isabel Castro-Garcia and Brenda Stephanie Mata, who last month were arrested and charged with violating the community’s emergency management plan, according to the Laredo Morning Times, which also reported that both women were released on bond the same day.

Abbott’s order Thursday comes a day after he and other top Texas Republicans weighed in on the controversy surrounding Luther, with the governor saying that Moyé had taken “excessive action” and suggesting that “there are less restrictive means” than jailing Luther. At the time though, Abbott did not indicate whether he planned to wade in further — which disgruntled some hardline Republicans who had been calling on the governor to commute Luther’s sentence.