Political reaction: Republican governors threaten to sue over Biden’s sweeping vaccine mandates

Republican leaders are blasting Biden’s sweeping new coronavirus vaccine mandates for businesses and federal workers, decrying them as unconstitutional infringements on personal liberties and promising to sue.

Biden took a newly antagonistic tone in his address on Thursday outlining his plan to mandate inoculation for employees and contractors, as well as health-care workers in facilities that treat patients on Medicare or Medicaid. Biden aims to require businesses with more than 100 employees to mandate vaccinations or test their employees weekly.

Republican governors from Texas to Missouri and Georgia threatened to fight back. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called the mandates “an assault on private businesses” and said the state is “already working to halt this power grab.”

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon said he asked his state’s attorney general “to stand prepared to take all actions to oppose this administration’s unconstitutional overreach of executive power,” as South Dakota Gov. Kristi L. Noem said “see you in court.” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp pledged to “pursue every legal option available to the state of Georgia to stop this blatantly unlawful overreach by the Biden administration.”

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel also said the group “will sue the administration to protect Americans and their liberties.”

Meanwhile, many Democratic leaders took to social media to praise the president’s announcements — with most pointing out the effectiveness and protection that immunization offers. ...