Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Caught on Recording Saying Reopening Will Increase Spread of Coronavirus

Days after enacting a plan to re-open Texas' nonessential businesses on May 1, a leaked recording appears to reveal Gov. Greg Abbott acknowledging the order would lead to more COVID-19 infections.

The recording, provided by the group Progress Texas, is purported to be audio of a May 1 call between Abbott and Texas lawmakers about the reopening plan. The recording was supplied by a person on the call to the Texas Democratic Party, a Progress Texas spokeswoman said


Abbott's office was unavailable for immediate comment on the recording.

“How do we know reopening businesses won't result in faster spread of COVID-19?" Abbott asks on the audio. "Listen, the fact of the matter is, pretty much every scientific and medical report shows that whenever you have a reopening ... it actually will lead to an increase in spread. It's almost ipso facto ... The goal never has been to get COVID-19 transmission down to zero.”