Texas Legislature Tensions Rise Over Absentee Democrats
With a 4 PM deadline looming, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows declared he would initiate an arrest warrant for Democrats who are absent. Shortly after, Governor Greg Abbott urged the Texas Department of Public Safety to take action against what he referred to as “democrats in the late Texas home.”
On Monday, the absent Democrats finally returned but didn’t meet the required quorum needed to counter the GOP’s attempts to redraw the state’s legislative map.
In a press release just before the quorum request, Illinois Democrats stated that the decisive response from the Texas House resulted in Democrats failing to meet quorum. Some Democrats participated in events that day in Illinois, as well as in Albany, Boston, and Chicago, where many believe gerrymandering is rampant, pushing back against Texas’s redistricting efforts.
“First, let’s acknowledge those who showed up,” a Texas Senator remarked regarding the quorum denial. Meanwhile, Burrows charged the missing Democrats with law violations and indicated he wouldn’t hesitate to issue civil arrest warrants if necessary.
Abbott Criticizes Democrats’ Actions
Abbott labeled the Democrats’ protests as “outrageous,” particularly given GOP attempts at constituency changes. He expressed his readiness to employ any necessary moves to summon absent members back to the House.
Upon winning such a motion, Burrows confirmed he would proceed to sign a warrant for the civil arrest of any members claiming to be absent. “As the Speaker, I will establish quorum and utilize all available means to advance our agenda,” he emphasized.
Earlier, Abbott had criticized the Democrats who left the state, which allowed Republicans to push through redistricting measures without adequate votes. Most Texas House Democrats accused Abbott of potential felonious actions by leaving the state in order to block his party from passing district laws seen as favoring Republicans.
Abbott warned in a letter sent prior to the House reconvening that, if Democrats didn’t return by 4 PM, he would pursue legal actions to remove them from the House. He suggested that some Democrats might face a felony charge for abandoning their offices, highlighting that they were also seeking funds to avoid penalties under House rules.
He pointed out that any acceptance of funds in exchange for legislative action or inaction can be viewed as bribery. Following the insufficient quorum, Abbott reiterated his call for the Department of Public Safety to apprehend absent Democrats.
“Speaker Dustin Burrows has initiated a warrant to summon these individuals back to the Capitol. Our orders will stay in place until all missing members are accounted for,” Abbott stated.
Response from National Democrats
Reacting to Abbott’s threats, Hakeem Jeffries, a Democratic leader in Congress, characterized the governor’s actions as “all hats, no cows” and argued against claims of warrant legitimacy. Jeffries added that Abbott presents a neglectful threat in his governance.
In the wake of the GOP’s redistricting, Democrats nationwide are considering similar measures in other states like New York and California, with calls from Jeffries to keep all options on the table. California Governor Gavin Newsom expressed support for fighting back vigorously against GOP actions, while New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced intentions to explore redistricting options immediately.
Typically, congressional maps are redrawn once every decade after the census. However, Texas appears poised to renew its districts without new census data or court directives. Abbott insists that Republicans are operating within legal bounds regarding their redistricting efforts.
Reportedly, the new Texas map, which has the support of former President Donald Trump, could enable Republicans to gain five additional seats in the U.S. House.
This is a developing news story. Stay tuned for updates.
