Gregory Wayne Abbott (born November 13, 1957) is an American attorney who has served as the 48th governor of Texas since January 20, 2015. A member of the Republican Party, Abbott previously served as the 50th attorney general of Texas from 2002 to 2015. He is the third governor of any U.S. state to permanently use a wheelchair. He is also the first disabled governor in Texas history.
Governor Greg Abbott is under fire after more than 60 major corporations Friday signed on to a full-page ad in the Dallas Morning News accusing the Texas Republican of engaging in anti-LGBTQ discrimination.
Abbott has ordered state agencies to investigate and prosecute anyone – including parents – involved in providing or enabling medically-necessary medical care for transgender youth and teens, using the false claim of “child abuse,” a claim some legal experts say is unlawful and medical experts have condemned.
Abbott is running for re-election against popular Democrat, former U.S. Congressman Beto O’Rourke, and has been accused of using anti-LGBTQ hate to appeal to parts of his base. “Businesses Call on Governor to Abandon Anti-LGBTQ+ Efforts,” the ad reads, as reported by The Verge.
Among the companies signing onto the ad are Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Salesforce, IBM, PayPal, Johnson & Johnson, Ikea, and Gap. “Discrimination is bad for business,” the ad says. “Our companies do business, create jobs, and serve customers in Texas.