Greg Abbott: Texas Gov who refused to throw MLB ceremonial pitch over Georgia law

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on Monday that he won’t throw the ceremonial first pitch at the Texas Rangers’ match against Toronto Blue Jays in Arlington. For his decision, Abbott cited Major League Baseball‘s (MLB) decision to pull out the MLB All-Star game from Atlanta. The baseball league took the decision over Georgia’s new voting laws that put restrictions on voting by mail and gives greater control to the legislature over how elections are run.

Also read: Georgia governor calls Biden’s attempt to relocate MLB game venue ‘ridiculous’

In his letter, announcing that he would not throw the ceremonial pitch, Abbott, a Republican leader, said that it was “shameful that America’s pastime is not only being influenced by partisan political politics but also perpetuating false political narratives.”

So, who is Greg Abbott?

A native Texan, Abbott first entered the Governor’s office in January 2015 and was re-elected in 2018. He had previously served at the Texas State Supreme Court and as state’s Attorney General (2002 to 2015).

In 2015, following the attacks in Paris, France, Abbott expressed opposition towards the resettlement of Syrian refugees. On gun laws, he signed the campus carry and open carry bills into law, allowing licensed carrying of handguns on public college campuses and public areas, respectively. 

On abortions, Abbott signed a bill into law that banned dismemberment and partial-birth abortion. It also required the cremation or burial of the aborted. The law was, however, blocked by the federal court.

In 2017, former president Barack Obama and the Texas Governor were sent homemade explosives, for which a Texas woman was later charged.