Houston-area Judge Lina Hidalgo set up a link at which residents can report on people or businesses they believe are in violation of current stay-at-home orders.
“See a restaurant at full capacity? Businesses open that shouldn’t be?” she tweeted. “Help us save lives.”
She urged constituents to report on anyone in violation of Governor Greg Abbott’s order by following a link that allows them to anonymously rat out fellow Texans.
See a restaurant at full capacity? Businesses open that shouldn’t be? Help us save lives. If you see violations of Governor Abbott’s order, please report them at:
➡️https://t.co/mOaXNNI1by⬅️— Harris County Judge (@HarrisCoJudge) May 3, 2020
RELATED: Police Union Slams ‘Idiotic’ Mandatory Mask Order By Texas Judge
Backlash
As you might imagine, a ‘snitch line’ isn’t exactly popular in Texas or any of the other United States, and Hidalgo was quickly ratioed and mocked on Twitter, while the online form had to be relocated due to technical issues possibly resulting from an influx of fake reports.
“Let the public ultimately decide what is safe and what restaurant is at full capacity. This gestapo approach to governance is frightening,” one person responded.
Another suggested inundating the form with inappropriate images, similar to what happened with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
no
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) May 3, 2020
Stay At Home Order
Hidalgo announced a stay-at-home order of her own on Saturday, stating any “Non-essential Harris County businesses and others that were not ‘reopened’ by the Governor’s order need to stay closed through May 20th.”
It is a major move for the third-largest county in the largest city in Texas.
Failed presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke naturally praised Hidalgo’s “leadership,” stating her actions have been “really exciting” to see.
Everyone should be wearing a mask in public, I wear 1 everyday. But making not wearing 1 punishable by law, and asking our officers to enforce it, will do irreparable damage to our relationship with the community. We are already stretched too thin without having to enforce this. pic.twitter.com/BwxEJgHvkq
— Joe Gamaldi (@JoeGamaldi) April 22, 2020
‘Idiotic’
In April, Hidalgo made failure to wear a mask in public a punishable offense, with anyone found in violation subject to a $1,000 fine.
The Houston Police Officer’s Union slammed her over the “idiotic” and “unconstitutional” order, agreeing that wearing a mask is a wise decision but not something that should be mandated by officials.
It would appear she doubled down on the ‘idiotic’ and ‘unconstitutional’ parts with this snitch form.
