Mississippi governor threatens to sue Biden over ‘tyrannical-type’ COVID vaccine rule
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said he plans to take legal action against new federal vaccine mandates imposed by President Joe Biden’s administration.
Reeves has been outspoken about the new COVID-19 vaccine rules and joins a growing list of Republican governors infuriated by the president’s mandate, even as the delta variant drives a surge in new cases clogging hospitals and urgent care facilities nationwide.
Reeves blasted the requirement, which could impact millions of U.S. workers, as “an attack on working class Americans.”
“This is an unconstitutional act by the president that makes no sense,” he said during a Monday appearance on Fox Business. “If you look back through history, every single time tyrants have tried to place an emphasis on individuals in their country, they say, ‘Oh, I’m doing it because it’s in the best interest of our citizens.’”
Clarifying his remarks, Reeves said the vaccine mandates were a “tryrannical-type move” by the president that should instead be left up to a congressional vote.
“If (Biden) wants this to occur, then what he ought to do is he ought to try to get the Congress to pass a law,” he told host Stuart Varney. “It may still be unconstitutional, but at least it wouldn’t be one act by one person who’s overturning something he said he would never do.”
Last week, the president signed an executive order requiring all federal employees, including government contractors, to get the COVID-19 vaccine or undergo weekly testing. Biden has also called on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to make sure workers at large companies with 100-plus employees are fully vaccinated.
“We’ve been patient, but our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us,” Biden said in a message to those still mulling a COVID-19 shot. “While America is in much better shape than it was seven months ago when I took office, I need to tell you a second fact: We’re in a tough stretch and it could last for awhile.”
About 63% of eligible Americans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and nearly 74% have received at least one dose of the two-shot series, according to Sept. 14 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Vaccination rates are lagging in Reeves’ state of Mississippi, however, where unvaccinated patients account for 88% of COVID-related hospitalizations and 87% of deaths, state health data show.
The Magnolia State also is among the least vaccinated states in the U.S., with just 42% of eligible residents fully vaccinated as of Sept. 14.
The governor has refused to issues lockdowns, mask rules or other COVID-19 precautions, but recently extended Mississippi’s state of emergency to ensure the availability of necessary resources.
This story was originally published September 14, 2021 at 2:21 PM.