Paxton's so-called "Price Gouging" crusade keeping 750,000 Surgical Masks in Limbo

"He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow,
And the rod of his anger will fail."
Proverbs 22:8

This was completely predictable:

HOUSTON — As Texas Medical Center hospital workers and first responders are dealing with a critical shortage of personal protective equipment, there are 750,000 medical-grade masks sitting in a Houston warehouse in limbo.

The masks were up for auction until Tuesday when a stop was placed on their distribution due to allegations of price gouging by the Texas Attorney General’s Office.

The auctioneer said he is now caught in the middle and wants someone to tell him what he is supposed to do with nearly a million masks.

....

Worstell received a demand letter from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Office on March 20, instructing him to discontinue all sales of the masks.

The letter accuses Worstell of price gouging during an emergency.

Worstell said he has been calling the investigator to find out what he is supposed to do with all of the masks now that the auction is closed.

He said nobody will call him back.

“We’re just waiting on the attorney general’s office,” Worstell said. “Can we let these facemasks go to the people who desperately need them, or can we not?”

KHOU called the Texas Attorney General’s Office on Wednesday to find out what the auctioneer should do with the critical PPE now in his possession.

The AG's Office could not confirm or deny any ongoing investigations, a spokeswoman stated in an emailed response, which states the office has received a total of nearly 2,200 COVID-19-related price gouging complaints.

Worstell said he’s cooperated with the Houston Police Department which came to his business to create a report and take photographs.

Without answers, Worstell is sitting and waiting with 750,000 medical masks.

We took Paxton to task on this topic during Hurricane Harvey and stand by everything we said back then.

This time, however, is worse.  This crisis isn't going away for awhile.  And we're obviously going to need new suppliers to enter this space.  Paxton's actions are a GIGANTIC red flag for potential new suppliers.

It's what people in the business world call "political risk."

Bottom Line: Paxton tends to be one of the better elected officials.  But right now he's responsible for a politically created shortage of needed medical supplies.  Knock it off.  Now.

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Texas Attorney General: (512) 463-2100
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Twitter: @KenPaxtonTX.