This Texas judge is accused of violating his own stay-at-home order

A judge in Hawaii has sentenced a man who violated his ex-girlfriend's protection order to write 144 compliments about her.

Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell is being accused of violating his own stay-at-home order — and borrowing firefighting equipment — to attend his grandson’s birthday party this week, according to KXAN.

Gravell is among several local Texas officials who have ordered residents to stay at home during the coronavirus pandemic with few exceptions, like if they are participating in essential activities.

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Chief Mark McAdams, who runs a fire and EMS station in the county north of Austin, told the TV station he loaned a firefighting suit to the county judge this week.

“I, at this point, regret making that decision because I know a lot of people will now say: why can’t I do that? And, of course, I can’t do that for anybody,” McAdams told KXAN. “But, given the conditions we’re going through and his separation from the family and the requirements of his job, I did let him borrow the piece of equipment.”

After pictures of the judge in the firefighting suit were reportedly posted to Twitter, Gravell called a Williamson County defense attorney about having the photos taken down, the TV station reported.

“And, I immediately made it clear that I have no control over those photographs, I did not take the photographs and that I would do nothing to help them,” attorney Robert McCabe told the station.

KXAN reported that Williamson County District Attorney Shawn Dick “filed a criminal referral” about the matter with the county attorney.