Chemical Ken Paxton Shields Corporations from Justice
Two times in two weeks, dangerous chemical fires have raged in Harris Countykilling one man, badly injuring others and lifting a toxic chemical cloud over the Houston region. School kids have been forced to “shelter in place” with air conditioning shut down. Citizens have been told to remain inside their houses to avoid danger to their health.
New County Officials Act Quickly to Keep Citizens Safe
Local Harris County officials – led by newly elected County Judge Lina Hidalgo and her fellow Democrats on the Commissioners Court, Commissioners Rodney Ellis and Adrian Garcia – moved quickly to mobilize county resources to limit the damage and keep citizens safe. Their actions are particularly impressive given that during the previous two decades of Republican control, the county failed to adopt a chemical emergency plan of any type.
Paxton’s Legal Moves Help Chemical Companies NOT Texans in Harm’s Way
As the fires raged in Houston, it became clear that AG Ken Paxton was most concerned about protecting the chemical companies whose negligence led to roaring fires and chemical clouds.
County-level legal action would push for companies to fully disclose the danger of their facilities and make the structural and operational changes needed to keep surrounding communities safe. However, rather than work constructively through local county officials to hold polluters accountable, Paxton quickly filed suit himself, locking up legal jurisdiction and blocking county leaders from taking more aggressive actions.
Read more: http://lonestarproject.net/chemical-ken-paxton-shields-corporations-justice#ixzz5k7jGVrR8