New York, Aug 4 (AP) - Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, has announced that he will initiate efforts to remove Democratic lawmakers from their positions on Monday if they do not return to the state. This move comes after several Democrats left Texas to thwart the passage of new US House maps before the 2026 midterm elections, a plan favored by former President Donald Trump.
The saga has its roots in a rebellion by Democratic state House members, many of whom traveled to Illinois or New York, hoping to prevent the ratification of the Texas redistricting maps. Abbott's decision to give them less than 24 hours to return has heightened the feud over these new congressional maps, a fight that has extended beyond Texas as Democratic governors consider redrawing their own state maps. However, their options to retaliate are limited.
The core of this impasse involves Trump's objective of adding five GOP-leaning congressional seats in Texas before the next elections, thereby boosting the Republican chances of maintaining a slim US House majority. The newly proposed maps by Texas Republicans aim to create five additional Republican-leaning districts, in a state where Republicans already hold 25 of the 38 seats.
A vote on these maps was scheduled for Monday in the Texas House of Representatives, but it cannot occur without a majority of Democratic members present, as their absence would deny the quorum needed. Upon arrival in Chicago on Sunday, some Democrats were welcomed by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, yet they remained vague on their potential duration outside Texas.
“We will do whatever it takes. What that looks like, we don't know,” stated state Representative Gene Wu, leader of the Texas House Democratic Caucus.
Historically, legislative walkouts have only delayed, not derailed, bill passages. This includes a 2021 incident where Texas House Democrats left for 38 days to protest voting restrictions, only for Republicans to pass the measure upon their return.
Now, Abbott is taking a stronger stance, threatening removal if Democrats fail to return by Monday afternoon. He referenced a non-binding 2021 legal opinion from Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, suggesting a court could determine that such absentee legislators had vacated their positions. Additionally, Abbott hinted potential felony charges for lawmakers fundraising for fines.
“This truancy ends now,” Abbott declared.
In response, the House Democrats issued a brief statement: “Come and take it.”
The situation in Texas requires a two-thirds attendance from the 150-member House to pass bills. Democrats, holding 62 seats, had at least 51 members absent, according to House Democratic Caucus spokesperson Josh Rush Nisenson.
Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows indicated the chamber would still convene as planned on Monday afternoon. “If a quorum is not present, then, to borrow the recent talking points from some of my Democrat colleagues, all options will be on the table. . .,” he posted on X.
Attorney General Paxton, a US Senate candidate, commented on X that Democrats attempting to evade should be “found, arrested, and brought back to the Capitol immediately.”
The refusal to appear is a civil violation according to legislative rules. The Texas Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that House leadership had the authority to “physically compel the attendance” of absent members, although no Democrats were forcibly returned after warrants were issued that year. Recent years saw Republicans introduce rules permitting daily fines of USD 500 for lawmakers who don't fulfill their duties.
Further, the quorum break is causing delays in legislative votes on critical issues like flood relief and warning systems after recent catastrophic Texas floods resulted in at least 136 deaths. Democrats had urged a prior vote on flood measures before addressing redistricting and criticized Republicans for not prioritizing this.
Illinois has extended support to the Texas Democrats.
Governor Pritzker, considering a 2028 presidential run and a vocal critic of Trump, had discussions with Texas Democrats about offering sanctuary if they chose to exit Texas for quorum-breaking.
Last week saw Pritzker hosting Texas Democrats in Illinois against the redistricting proposal, a stance California Governor Gavin Newsom echoed in his state.
Pritzker also privately strategized with Texas Democratic Chair Kendall Scudder in June, discussing plans for the eventuality of Democrats leaving for Illinois, based on anonymous insights into private discussions.
“This is not just rigging the system in Texas. It’s about undermining the rights of Americans for years to come,” Pritzker announced on Sunday night.
Trump aims to prevent a repeat of his early presidential term loss of House control to Democrats and believes the new Texas maps will support his goal. His officials are eyeing similar tactics in other states.
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