Texas Deputy AG Apologizes for Slamming Simone Biles as 'National Embarrassment'
© REUTERS / Lindsey Wasson
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US gymnast Simone Biles received immense support from Americans this week after announcing she would not be competing in the Team USA final, nor the women's individual all-around gymnastics final, due to personal mental health concerns. At the same time, the 24-year-old has received backlash from many individuals who viewed her pull-out as weak.
Aaron Reitz, deputy attorney general for Texas, took to Twitter on Wednesday evening to issue an apology to Biles, and recant a statement in which he panned the record-setting US gymnast as a "national embarrassment."
"In a moment of frustration and disappointment, I opined on subjects for which I am not adequately versed. That was an error. I can't imagine what Simone Biles has gone through," Reitz claimed. "Simone Biles is a true patriot and one of the greatest gymnasts of our time."
"I apologize to her, and wish her well," the deputy AG concluded, emphasizing that his "personal social media comments" do not represent the views of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, nor the Office of the Attorney General.
Reitz's since-deleted tweet against Biles, who was born in Texas and still resides in the Lone Star State, quoted another post that applauded the 1996 Olympic performance of Team USA gymnast Kerri Strug. Strug, one of the US' "Magnificent Seven," severely injured her ankle during the first half of the vault competition, but refused to bow out of the event and ultimately led her team to win the US' first gold medal in women's gymnastics.
"Contrast this with our selfish, childish national embarrassment, Simone Biles," Reitz said in his quote tweet.
Aaron Reitz is the deputy attorney general for legal strategy under AG @KenPaxtonTX.
— Lauren McGaughy 🌟 (@lmcgaughy) July 27, 2021
This tweet, in which he calls fellow Texan Simone Biles a “national embarrassment,” came outside of work hours but he often tweets hot takes between 9a-5p.
He was appointed last year. #txlege pic.twitter.com/MDXUABv7LB
Sending love to you @Simone_Biles 🐐❤️-Team UNITED States of America 🇺🇸
— Kerri Strug (@kerristrug96) July 27, 2021
Furthermore, it is worth noting that Biles is no stranger to performing with adversity. When the US Women's Gymnastics team took home gold at the 2018 World Championships in Qatar, Biles dominated in nearly every competition, despite intense stomach pains from what was later confirmed to be a kidney stone.
Despite her pull-outs this year, Biles has continued to root for her fellow Team USA gymnasts. She also expressed in a Wednesday social media post that "the outpouring [of] love & support I've received has made me realize I'm more than my accomplishments and gymnastics which I never truly believed before."
