Texas Dem Lawmakers Who Fled State to Skip Election Reform Will Be Arrested Upon Return

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott harshly criticized Democrat lawmakers who fled to Washington, D.C., on Monday in an attempt to deprive the state legislature of the two-thirds quorum needed to vote on the GOP's sweeping elections overhaul bills, telling Fox’s "The Ingraham Angle" that they will be arrested upon their return.

The Republican governor said members of the Texas House of Representatives who are still in the state can call for the arrests of their colleagues who do not show up to vote, as long as the arrests are made in Texas.

Abbot insisted that "once they step back into the state they will be arrested and brought back to the Capitol and we will be conducting business."


Over the weekend, Republicans in the state legislature worked to advance two voting bills, which the GPO insists are needed to provide greater election security, Newsweek reported.

Democrats say that the legislation, which would add new ID requirements for mail-in ballots and prohibit 24-hour polling locations, drive-thru voting, and ballot drop boxes, would make it more difficult for citizens to vote, especially minorities, young people, and those with disabilities.

Twenty-four hour polling locations, drive-thru voting, and ballot drop boxes were used in last year’s election in Texas, according to The Washington Post, to make it easier for state residents to safely vote during the coronavirus pandemic.

Texas Democrats also took part in a walkout in May and successfully prevented an earlier version of the voting legislation from passing, Newsweek reported.

The Texas Democratic Party issued a statement saying that "In response to Republicans' escalation of their attacks on voters, Democrats continue to hold the line."

Democrats explained that after they "historically blocked Republicans' anti-voter efforts in the spring legislative session, Abbott called an irregular extra legislative session in order to resurrect the anti-voter legislation - Republicans' main hope of holding onto power in the 2022 election."

But Abbot insisted that such tactics will not work, telling Fox that "We have special sessions that last 30 days. And the governor calls them, and I will continue calling special session after special session because over time it is going to continue until they step up to vote."


The Democrat lawmakers, however, vowed that would not be swayed. State Rep. Chris Turner said that Democrats "are determined to kill this bill," stressing that he and his colleagues were prepared to run out the clock on a special session that ends early next month.

Sources told The New York Times that Texas Democrats hope their methods will help bring a spotlight to the issue of voting rights and increase the pressure on Democrats in the U.S. Senate to pass reforms on voting rights that would cancel out the attempts by Texas and other GOP-led state legislatures to enact their changes.
 
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Texas State Dems Bust Out In Song Near Capitol To 'Overcome' Elex Restrictions​

Texas State Dems Bust Out In Song Near Capitol To 'Overcome' Elex Restrictions


Texas statehouse Democrats camping out in Washington, D.C., to block a GOP-backed elections overhaul bill on Tuesday broke out in song near the U.S. Capitol, vowing to “overcome” the new restrictions.
But the group reciting the spontaneous rendition of the iconic civil rights song with the aspirational promise — "We shall overcome someday. Deep in my heart, I do believe" — and a more-than half century history didn’t get the words quite right.
Instead, they sang “we will overcome,” video showed.
The tactic to leave Texas on Monday was a bid by Democrats to deprive the Texas state Legislature of a quorum — the minimum number of representatives who have to be present for the body to operate. Without that, they can't vote on the voting proposal — or other GOP-backed bills.
They’ve also drawn attention to the push to tighten Texas voting laws just as some Democrats in Congress hope sweeping elections bill making it easier to register and vote nationwide.
The get-out-town tactic has plenty of precedent.
In 2003, 50 Democratic Texas state lawmakers bolted to Oklahoma to block a Republican redistricting proposal that would cost Democrats five seats in the House of Representatives.
Then-GOP Gov. Rick Perry had called a special session. Democrats fled again, this time to New Mexico, but eventually came back and the redistricting plan passed.
Democrats already pulled off a win against GOP Gov. Greg Abbott with a walkout last month after Republicans who control the legislature tried to rush a revised elections bill through at the final hour, and the bill died.
But Abbott called them back last week for a special session and this one lasts a month — making it harder to run out the clock.
Abbott has already docked lawmakers' pay, and said Monday he would continue to call special sessions, until Democrats relent. He also said Tuesday the lawmakers would be arrested once they return.
He’s also been making his own case, telling Fox News, Democrats are “running away from a fight,” calling it a “most un-Texan thing to do.”
 

mavs

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They should be kicked out of office. Purposely avoiding a vote means they are refusing to do their job.
Republicans have threatened to do the same thing after the democrats get the filibuster rule eliminated in the US Senate. Should republicans that fail to show to keep the US Senate from having a quorum, and therefore not able to vote on legislation that they can win with 50 votes and the VP, be fired too ?

McConnell says that is what they will do if the filibuster rule is changed. So, what's the difference ?
 
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In Oregon the Republicans did the same thing in previous years in order to deny a vote on sweeping gun control and other anti American issues. I celebrated them for that decision and did not support them being arrested.
I cannot support a different standard for the Democrats in Texas. If the ability to deny a quorum is available, either party should be able to utilize it. (Not sure of the consequence difference via State laws)
BTW, I do NOT support the Texas DNC or it’s platform in ANY way.
 

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