San Antonio Express-News

Ex-Congressma­n Paul hospitaliz­ed as a precaution

It was Paul who organized the first modern tea party event, holding one on Dec. 17, 2007, to coincide with the 234th anniversar­y of the Boston Tea Party.

- By Jeremy Wallace

Former Texas Congressma­n Ron Paul, a staple of Lone Star State politics since the 1970s, appeared to suffer a medical emergency while live on a talk showhe runs on the internet.

Paul, 85, began slurring his speech and struggled to talk during a recording of the Ron Paul Liberty Report just after noon Friday.

Paul was hospitaliz­ed for “precaution­ary” reasons, according to a Fox News report.

Just after 2 p.m., Paul posted a photo of himself at the hospital with a thumbs up.

“I am doing fine. Thank you for your concern,” Paul wrote.

Paul, a doctor who also served in the Air Force, spent 23 years in Congress, representi­ng areas in Southeast Texas. Paul, espousing libertaria­n views, ran for president three times and is seen as an early voice of the tea party movement that swept the nation in 2010.

It was Paul who organized the first modern tea party event, holding one on Dec. 17, 2007, to coincide with the 234th anniversar­y of the Boston Tea Party. Conservati­ve groups later seized on the idea and built upon it in 2009 and 2010, leading to GOP takeover of the U.S. House and Senate.

Paul started the Liberty Report in 2015. During the show, which airs daily at noon, he has been very aggressive in criticizin­g both federal and state officials for their handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Paul has called it a “hoax” and has called out Gov. Greg Abbott for infringing on people’s liberties by closing down much of the Texas economy

Texas politician­s were quick to send prayers for Paul’s recovery to the former congressma­n and his family. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz was among the first to say he and his wife, Heidi, were thinking of Paul and his family.

“For many decades, he has been an extraordin­ary warrior for liberty,” Cruz said on Twitter. “May God’s healing hand be upon Dr. Paul, and may God’s peace and grace be upon the entire family.”

 ?? Carlos Osorio / Associated Press ??
Carlos Osorio / Associated Press

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