Texas House members say they are fleeing state to break quorum to block elections bill

This is a groundbreaking story and is constantly being updated.

AUSTIN – Texas House Democrats flee the state to Washington DC on Monday to prevent the legislature from moving forward with a Republican-backed electoral law.

Shortly after 2 p.m., House Democrats issued a statement confirming they would not be returning to the Capitol to wrap up the special session and calling on Democrats in Congress to pass a suffrage bill.

“Today, the Democrats of the Texas House of Representatives stand united in our decision to break the quorum and refuse to allow the Republican-led legislature to be enforced by dangerous laws that would trample on the Texans’ freedom of choice,” said Democratic leaders of the House. “We are now carrying the struggle to our nation’s Capitol. We live on borrowed time in Texas. Congress must 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. “

The statement came from Chris Turner, Chairman of the House Democratic Committee from Grand Prairie, Chairman of the Mexican American Electoral Committee Rafael Anchía from Dallas, Chair of the Texas Legislature Black Caucus Nicole Collier from Fort Worth, Chair of the Legislative Study Group, Garnet Coleman from Houston and Senfronia Thompson from Houston. the longest-serving member of the Democratic House.

The move, which evokes memories of a 2003 quorum resolution over redistribution, would block the House’s ability to do business if it meets on Tuesday as scheduled.

With two charter flights from Austin, large numbers of the 67 House Democrats intended to fly to Washington, DC, where they would continue to campaign for federal electoral law passed.

As first reported by NBC News, House Democrats planned to break the quorum for the second time this year. The state constitution requires that two thirds of the members are present in order to conduct business in both chambers. As the electoral law neared House approval in late May, Democrats went out several hours before a deadline to pass the bill.

Dallas State Representative Jasmine Crockett told The Dallas Morning News that she would be leaving for Washington immediately and not be in Texas until August 7th. She said lawmakers would influence lawmakers and the president in Washington.

“Hopefully we can get to the point where we can even sit down with the president,” said Crockett. “We can really impress him and ask him to be serious.”

While Republicans in Texas say the bills are purely designed to prevent electoral fraud, Democrats have said that electoral laws will make it harder for some Texans to vote by banning 24-hour, drive-through voting and restricting postal voting.

After weekend marathon hearings, the House and Senate bodies put forward the GOP drafted bills.

The Senate bill is expected to be ready on Tuesday, during which the House of Representatives must first go through the calendar committee. But it could hit the bottom this week.

The Democrats could have left the session anytime before a bill was finally passed, but decided to flee the capital on Monday when the House was not in session.

“The Republicans won’t budge. You will not negotiate. They won’t listen, ”said Ed Espinoza, executive director of the liberal group called Progress Texas. “What is left for the Democrats to do?”

There was no immediate response from Governor Greg Abbott or House Speaker Dade Phelan, but some Republicans began to respond. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Houston, mocked the Democrats for flying to Washington “to skip work and take a charter jet to hang out with Pelosi in DC for a few days.”

Texas Democrats: “Let’s keep lying about ‘voter suppression’ even though it has been exposed countless times, AND then we can skip the job and take a charter jet to hang out with Pelosi in DC for a few days!”

Nice try. But nobody believes your charade. https://t.co/YlsQC8xXkz

– Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) July 12, 2021

In Washington DC, Vice President Kamala Harris praised the Texas Democrats.

“I applaud you for standing up for the right of all Americans and Texans to express their voices freely through their voices,” she said.

Former MP Beto O’Rourke, the most prominent Texas Democrat, took to Twitter to ask for money to aid the Democrat’s efforts.

Let’s support the Texas House Democrats as they lead the fight to our nation’s capital to inspire the U.S. Senate to do its part.

Please donate to make sure they have the resources to fight for as long as it takes! Https: //t.co/2A08e6Tn0q

– Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) July 12, 2021

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