GOP Texas Governor Greg Abbott burned his legs with hot water on Thursday while vacationing in Wyoming. How the accident occurred has not been disclosed. Upon hearing of the tragic Dallas Police shootings, Abbott immediately exclaimed, "I've got to come back." The Governor learned of the rampage as he was being treated for his wounds for hours at the nearby St. John's Medical Center. Abbott did not want it revealed to the media or the public that he had sustained burns in an accident after learning of the murderous rampage in Dallas.
Injuries hidden.
Abbott appeared at a press conference on Friday concerning the Dallas Police shootings. He did not disclose that he had been injured during the press conference, nor that he was wearing bandages on his legs that needed to be changed several times a day. The only possible indication of his injuries was a pair of orthopedic shoes as opposed to the dress shoes or boots that he usually wears.
Surgery likely.
Abbott's office has revealed that he will need surgery, but that it is not immediately necessary. He is scheduled to see specialists at the Brooke Army Medical Center on Monday afternoon. Abbott's legs still need to be wrapped daily and will need such for at least two to three additional weeks.
Press release delayed.
Abbott's communications team has now disclosed that they were working on a press release concerning the leg injuries on Thursday but decided to delay the release after the Dallas shootings took place. According to Abbott's spokesperson Matt Hirsch, Abbott did not want to distract attention from the events in Dallas.
Hirsch stated, "For him it was important not to distract from what was happening in Dallas."
Statements released.
Abbott released statements on the rampage on both Thursday and Friday. He also wrote an open letter to his fellow Texans and called for unity statewide.
Abbott's paralysis.
Abbott is paralyzed from an incident in 1984.
In that incident, a tree fell on him as he was jogging, and he has been in a wheelchair ever since. However, the nerve receptors in Abbott's legs still work and he did feel the pain from the scalding water in Thursday's incident.
Convention role.
Abbott is the chairman of the Texas delegation to the upcoming GOP convention in Cleveland, Ohio, beginning on July 18. He still does not know if he will be able to attend the conventionand has to take it on a daily basis. Although Abbott supported Texas Senator Ted Cruz in the primaries, he is expected to endorse Donald Trump for the Election 2016 November ballot.
Politicians react
Meanwhile, politicians nationwide have expressed their opinions on the shooting Crime rampage in Dallas, including Abbott's own Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, (D), who was critical of the activist group, Black Lives Matter.
Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton,(R), expressed empathy for the families of the two black men whose shootings sparked the outrage in Dallas, as well as for the families of the Dallas police officers. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, (R), stated that no "normal" white person truly comprehends what it is to be black in America. Gingrich allegedly has gone through the vetting process as a possible vice-presidential nominee in the Donald Trump campaign.
