A Texas Democratic lawmaker left a meeting unexpectedly on Wednesday, accompanied by Democratic National Committee (DNC) chairman Ken Martin and other party leaders, after being warned that her actions could lead to a felony charge.
“Sorry, I have to go,” Senator Nicole Collier (D) said, interrupting Martin during a phone call. “They said it’s a felony for me to do this. Apparently, I can’t be on the floor or in the restroom.”
“You mentioned I could be in the bathroom here,” she pointed out to someone off-camera. “No, wait—goodbye everyone, I really have to leave.”
Collier, who has served seven terms and previously chaired the Texas Black Caucus, was participating in a call from inside the Texas Capitol. Democrats had initially fled the state to disrupt the passage of certain legislation but returned earlier this week.
Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R) stated that Democrats wishing to leave between meetings could only do so after conceding to the appointment of a designated DPS officer under House rules. They would also need to sign a form to be allowed back into the state legislature.
Collier refused to comply with these conditions and chose to stay overnight in protest, which she felt would draw immediate public attention.
“The moment the order was issued, I felt it was wrong. It’s not right to ask adults to seek permission to move about freely,” she remarked in a recent MSNBC interview. “So, I resisted. I disagreed. The only way I knew how was to stand my ground.”
This situation caused frustration among Democrats, though the specifics of the felony warning against Collier remained unclear.
Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) condemned the news, calling it “outrageous” and stating, “Rep. Collier in the bathroom has more dignity than Donald Trump in the Oval Office.”
“That’s outrageous. What they’re attempting to do is silence American leaders and specifically black women, and that’s just unacceptable,” he added.
Other national figures also criticized the decision to restrict Collier’s ability to participate in calls while in the restroom at the Capitol.
“I was holding press conferences with @nicolecollier95, @corybooker, and @gavinnewsom,” Martin noted on social media. “Rep. Collier joined us from the Texas Capitol and was ordered to disconnect from the call, facing felony charges if she didn’t comply. This is a shocking violation of her freedom of speech.”
Updated at 5:18 PM.
