‘I’LL RUN OVER’ THOSE OPPOSED
President Biden on Friday ramped up the war he started with Republican governors over his new COVID-19 vaccine mandates, calling critics of the order “cavalier” and daring them to “have at it” if they want to challenge his orders.
“Look, I am so disappointed that particularly some Republican governors have been so cavalier with the health of these kids, so cavalier with the health of their communities,” Biden said at a Washington, DC, middle school.
“We’re playing for real here. This isn’t a game.”
Biden invited critics of the vaccine mandates to “have at it” — as the rules were expected to be challenged in court and had received a cool response from some labor unions.
He also claimed the “vast majority” of people agree with him — despite polls showing slimmer public support.
On Thursday, Biden seemingly flipped on his decision not to make the coronavirus vaccine mandatory, announcing that two-thirds of all US workers will be required to get COVID-19 shots.
Under his order, the Labor Department can force businesses with 100 employees or more to require their workers to get vaccinated or be tested weekly. Federal workers won’t have a testing option and must consent to injections with few exceptions.
The order comes with fines of up to $13,600 per violation.
Cedric Richmond, director of the White House Office of Public Engagement and a former Louisiana congressman, told CNN’s “Don Lemon Tonight” Thursday that Biden would “run over” anyone who opposed the new rule.
The Republican National Committee is planning to sue the Biden administration over the mandates, calling the president’s actions “unconstitutional” and an “authoritarian decree.”
RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel announced the planned legal action on Thursday, hours after Biden delivered his speech laying out the requirements.
“Joe Biden told Americans when he was elected that he would not impose vaccine mandates. He lied. Now small businesses, workers and families across the country will pay the price,” she said in a statement. “Like many Americans, I am pro-vaccine and anti-mandate.
“Many small businesses and workers do not have the money or legal resources to fight Biden’s unconstitutional actions and authoritarian decrees, but when his decree goes into effect, the RNC will sue the administration to protect Americans and their liberties.”
In a separate statement, McDaniel said Biden’s agenda was “all about power, all about control and meant to divide us.”
Republican governors, including South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, have also promised to fight the mandate with legal action.
“This is not a power that is delegated to the federal government,” Noem said on Fox News’ “Hannity.”
“This is a power for states to decide. In South Dakota, we’re going to be free, and we’re going to make sure that we don’t overstep our authority,” she added.
“So we will take action. My legal team is already working, and we will defend and protect our people from this unlawful mandate.”
On Twitter, Abbott called the new rule “an assault on private businesses” and vowed that the state was “already working to halt this power grab.”
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts called the president’s words “absolutely outrageous.”
Biden warned on Thursday that if Republican governors who have opposed vaccine and mask mandates “won’t help us beat the pandemic, I’ll use my powers as president to get them out of the way.”