Texas A.G. Warns Cities to Loosen Restrictions
SCIUTTO: Welcome back. These are images moments ago as Dr. Richard Bright enters the Capitol before his testimony. Note he's wearing a mask there as recommended by health officials. He's going to be speaking today about his whistleblower's complaint, talking among other things about being pressured to promote a treatment touted by the president, even though that treatment was unproven. When he speaks, we're going to bring those comments to you live.</s>HARLOW: Absolutely. Meantime, tensions is escalating in Texas. State Attorney General Ken Paxton warning major cities in the state to loosen their restrictions that go further than state issued guidelines or they could face lawsuits. One of several things the A.G. takes issue with is the city of Austin, telling people to wear masks in public while the state is only encouraging people to do so. The mayor of Austin, Steve Adler, joins me now. Look, I read through the whole letter this morning. It's fascinating and the language and the word choice. The attorney general writes that your public health orders are not only sort of confusing the public, but he calls them unconstitutional and he says they trample on religious freedom. What do you say to him?</s>MAYOR STEVE ADLER (D), AUSTIN, TEXAS: It's not true and it's unfortunate because this is really the first real politicization of this virus crisis and, frankly, I'm just not going to follow the attorney general down that road. But the example that you gave, face coverings. Our governor and lieutenant governor have both been real strong advocates for wearing them. We had a policy and an order in the city that made it mandatory. The governor issued another order that even while he still said it's real important to do, he said the cities could no longer have a criminal or civil penalty associated with the failure to wear a face covering. Believing it's still real important, we have kept it mandatory here in Austin, but we have specifically said there's no criminal or civil penalty. We've seen the penalty is that more people are going to get sick and some of them are going to die and we're hoping that that's penalty enough. Effectively, we're at the same place that we're following the governor's order.</s>HARLOW: Yes.</s>ADLER: But from a messaging standpoint, people in the community are confused. If it's important, then why is it that the governor says we can't enforce and</s>HARLOW: Well, it actually does seem like the same message, it's just the difference in terms of semantics if you're not enforcing it in terms of arresting people or issuing a summons. But he says you're in legal liability here. I mean, it sounds like they're threatening to sue you. So what would you do?</s>ADLER: Then we'll respond. I'm confident that the order that we have in Austin is consistent and complimentary of the governor's order. In fact, our governor is trying to reopen businesses and if he's going to be successful in that, it's going to be due in part because the communities around Texas are being disciplined and vigilant about things like wearing face coverings. So, it's actually something that we believe furthers and supports the governor's order.</s>HARLOW: Can we just talk about the economy there in Austin? And I know it's actually faring better than many because many of your residents can work and do have the ability to work from home? That's not the same for so many. But you I'm sure heard the comments yesterday from Fed chair Jerome Powell saying that if mitigation efforts are not done quickly, more aid from Congress, then the economic toll this is taking, some of it could be permanent on the U.S. economy. Can you just talk about the impact on small business in Austin? How many do you think are at risk of never reopening?</s>ADLER: You know, the economic hazard here is severe. You know, the number of people that are filing for unemployment -- we just had another iconic restaurant close that's been here for decades. We have lost several already. It is painful and it is -- it is hurt hurting. We may be doing better relatively than some other places and in that way, we're lucky and then blessed, but it's still real hard here and real hard for the people that live here. I think that we need to figure out ways that we can be reopening the economy. I'm just real focused on making sure that we do it in a way that maintains the public health.</s>HARLOW: Yes, of course. Mayor Steve Adler, thank you. Thanks so much for your time. Good luck.</s>ADLER: Thank you very much. Be safe.</s>HARLOW: Jim?</s>SCIUTTO: Well, a Texas factory owner is set to testify soon that the federal government ignored his offer to make millions of masks. He says he has warned of a PPE shortage in this country for years.