The Texas House voted Tuesday to send for Texas Legislators who split town in private planes to go to Washington to demand that Congress pass the For The People Act. Their intent is to block the passage of a GOP priority elections bill — authorizing the use of arrest warrants if needed to compel attendance, Statesman.com reported.
Attorney General: Paxton Releases Statement on House Democrats Failing Democracy and Fleeing the State
Attorney General Ken Paxton made the following statement after Texas House Democrats fled the state — rejecting their elected duty during the July 2021 Special Legislative Session:
Today, Texas House Democrats left the state and broke quorum to fight back against state Republicans’ continued attacks on Texans’ freedom to vote the Texas HDC wrote.
Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Chris Turner, Mexican American Legislative Caucus Chair Rafael Anchía, Texas Legislative Black Caucus Chair Nicole Collier, Legislative Study Group Caucus Chair Garnet Coleman and Dean Senfronia Thompson released the following statement on the decision to break quorum:
“Today, Texas House Democrats stand united in our decision to break quorum and refuse to let the Republican-led legislature force through dangerous legislation that would trample on Texans’ freedom to vote.
“We are now taking the fight to our nation’s Capitol. We are living on borrowed time in Texas. We need Congress to act now to pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act to protect Texans — and all Americans — from the Trump Republicans’ nationwide war on democracy.”
Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan rebuked the group that went AWOL:
“A number of House Democrats stated their caucus intends to break quorum in an attempt to stall election integrity legislation. These actions put at risk state funding that will deny thousands of hard-working staff members and their families a paycheck, health benefits, and retirement investment so that legislators who broke quorum can flee to Washington D.C. in private jets. The Texas House will use every available resource under the Texas Constitution and the unanimously-passed House Rules to secure a quorum to meaningfully debate and consider election integrity, bail reform, benefits for retired teachers, Child Protective Services reform, Article X funding, and the other important measures Gov. Abbott placed on the special session agenda. The special session clock is ticking — I expect all Members to be present in our Capitol in order to immediately get to work on these issues.”
VP Harris is their biggest cheerleader: Vice President Kamala Harris applauded Texas Democrats for their “courage and commitment” before they boarded the flight, AP reported.
The Governor , Attorney General disagree:
“Democrats must get back to the job they were elected to do. Their constituents must not be denied important resources simply because their elected representatives refused to show up to work”.…Gov Abbott.
