Austin Mayor Under Fire For Travel Amid Coronavirus

AUSTIN, TX — Austin Mayor Steve Adler is under fire after a Wednesday news report emerged he traveled to a Mexican resort with family members and guests after repeatedly advising residents to stay home amid increased spread of the coronavirus.

In a Nov. 9 Facebook video, Adler told residents to stay indoors while noting this was no time to relax. According to a report by the Austin American-Statesman, the mayor made the appeal one day into his trip to Cabo San Lucas where he flew on private jet with seven guests to attend his daughter's post-wedding reception.

“We need to stay home if you can," Adler said at the time, broadcasting from a time-share property in Mexico ahead of a wedding attended by about 20 people, according to the report. "This is not the time to relax. We are going to be looking really closely. We may have to close things down if we are not careful.”

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The mayor did not immediately respond to a text message from Patch requesting comment. By day's end, the mayor issued a public apology for his travel amid the pandemic:

"I recognize that my travel set a bad example," Adler said on the video. "I recognize that the fact that I took that trip, and at the same time, was continuing to urge people to be cautious is confusing. I know that others have chosen not to travel under the same circumstances, and I know that in my position, I need to send a clearer message."

Adler noted his travel occurred at a time of lesser risk before the city moved the coronavirus alert level to orange — the penultimate tier of a five-layered alert system culminating in the most critical red level. Under Stage 4 guidelines, the following is urged:

• Higher-risk individuals (those over the age of 65 and those who have chronic medical conditions) should stay home, except for essential trips such as buying groceries or seeking medical care.
• Lower-risk individuals should avoid social gatherings, any gatherings greater than 10 people, and non-essential travel.
• Recommend businesses and restaurants voluntarily reduce capacity to 25 percent to 50 percent.
• Recommend schools limit attendance at sporting events to players, coaches and parents.

Notwithstanding his pre-orange-level travel, the mayor offered a full apology: "I'm sorry I took that trip," he said in his last "Got a Minute?" segment. "It was a lapse in judgment, and I want you to know that I apologize."

Before apologizing in the video, Adler ticked off the latest statistics on the illness scourge. The mayor launched the updates earlier this year to inform residents on the latest illness trends, including the Nov. 9 update taped while he was in Mexico seem below:

Despite the apology, the fallout from the trip's revelation has been substantial with the news picked up by myriad news outlets from CNN to The Guardian across the Atlantic by BBC and multiple more.

It's not the first time an area leader has come under fire for violating coronavirus-inhibiting guidelines issued to residents. In April, Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell was photographed attending a grandson's birthday party — and using county resources in the process — after having ordered residents to stay home amid the coronavirus outbreak.

"We know that a virus knows no boundaries, so our Williamson County cities have come together and are united in this fight," the judge said in issuing the order he would later violate by attending the child's birthday party. "We are joining our neighboring counties to show that we stand together to provide safety in the region."

Related stories:

• WilCo Judge Under Fire For Violating Own Stay-At-Home Order
• Complaint Against WilCo Judge Assigned To Prosecutor
  
• WilCo Judge Gravell Fined $1K For Violating Own Coronavirus Order

Photos taken by a community watchdog shared on social media showed Gravell dressed as a firefighter with gear he borrowed from an area fire department. Last week, Gravell paid a $1,000 for having violated his own directive — the same amount that had been set for those violating his order.

>>> Read the full story at Austin American-Statesman