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With the 4pm CT deadline closed, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows announced that he would sign an arrest warrant for absent Democrats if approved by the Chamber of Commerce ballot. Shortly afterwards, the House approved the warrant, and Gov. Greg Abbott promptly called on the Texas Public Safety Department to arrest “democrats in arrested Texas House.”
Democrats eventually returned to Texas on Monday and did not approve the quorum in the fight to stop the GOP’s efforts to redraw the state’s Capitol map.
Illinois Democrats issued a press release just before the Texas quorum was requested, indicating that “the bold, unified response of the Texas House of Representatives led to Democrats denying the quorum.” Several Democrats competed in an event held in Illinois on Monday, but other events have also been held in Albany, Boston and Chicago, where critics claim to be highly gerrymanders, aimed at fighting Texas’s constituency change efforts.
“Let’s start by praising the members who appeared,” said the Texas Senator of the Dustin Burrows’ home after the quorum was denied. Meanwhile, Burrows accused the absent Democrats and said he would not hesitate to sign a civil arrest warrant if lawmakers are found to be in violation of the law.
government. Abbott calls Democrats for “outrageous” protests over GOP-led constituency
The Texas State Capitol building in Austin, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
“According to the rules of the house, I am ready to accept any moves to call the house and any other moves necessary to force absent members back,” Burrows said Monday afternoon.
“If such a motion is won, I will soon sign a warrant for civil arrest of members who say they are not here,” he continued. “As a speaker, I will establish a quorum and do everything in my power to advance this body by any means available to this office.”
Earlier on Monday, Gov. Greg Abbott ousted and threatened potentially prosecuted Democrats who fled Texas, stopping Republicans from moving forward with efforts to redraw the state’s Capitol district. GOP Texas State Sen. introduced Senate Bill 62 on Monday because it did not show up for absent lawmakers.
Most Democrats in the Texas House, who accused Abbott of potential felony, left the state on Sunday to prevent the House from casting sufficient votes for the quorum. Without a quorum, legislative procedures cannot advance. Lawmakers fled as Republicans are about to pass laws establishing new legislative districts in the state. Republicans argue that they are unfairly gerrymanders in their favour of Democrats and need to be adjusted.
In a letter sent to lawmakers Sunday, Abbott said if he does not return by the time the House is reconvened at 4pm, he will “call Texas Attorney General’s Opinion No. KP-0382 to remove missing Democrats from members of the Texas home.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott suggested that those who fled the state to stop the Republican agenda could potentially face felony charges. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
“In addition to abandoning their offices, these lawmakers may have committed felony,” Abbott added in his letter. “Many absentee Democrats are seeking funds to avoid fines they incur under House rules.”
Earlier on Monday, Abbott said it would be considered bribery “if a lawmaker takes away money to either do or refuse to act in Congress.”
Later, after GOP lawmakers received approval for an arrest warrant for the absent Democrats, Abbott asked the Texas Public Safety Department to arrest “democrats in arrested Texas House.”
“Speaker Dustin Burrows has issued a warrant to call his Texas home and force him to return to the meeting room. To ensure compliance, I arrested, arrested, and sent the Texas Department of Public Safety to the residential room, arrested and sent home a member who had waived his Texan obligations,” Abbott said Monday. “The order will remain in effect until all missing Democrat members are accounted for and brought to the Texas State Capitol.”
Texas Mapfight escalates as Jeffries swears “all options” to stop the GOP plan
In response to Abbott’s threat, Hakeem Jeffries (DN.Y.), a leader in the US minority, described the governor’s actions as “all hats, no cows,” and said there was “no basis to claim” lawmakers. Jeffries’ comments came before Texas Legislature approved an arrest warrant.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries will speak at a press conference at the US Capitol on February 6, 2025 (Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Democrats across the country are responding to GOP rezoning efforts in Texas with the threat of doing the same in Democrat-controlled states like New York and California.
Last week, Jeffries said at a press conference that “all options should be on the table” during the battle for the Texas constituency.
Meanwhile, Democrat Gavin Newsom said California should “fight fire with fire” when it comes to efforts to rezone Decard in the mid-term GOP.
Democrat New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared “gloves off” on Monday, adding that he intends to explore “all options” to redraw the state’s Capitol map “as soon as possible.”
A democratic government. Kathy Hotchul of New York and Gavin Newsom of California have vowed to fight back against the GOP’s rezoning efforts. (Getty Images)
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Congressional maps are usually redrawn once every ten years after the completion of the US census, but now Texas is about to redraw the 12th grade map without new census data or even a court order. Still, Abbott argues that “nothing is illegal” about what Republicans are trying to do in Texas.
The new map of Texas, supported by President Donald Trump, could help Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives pick up five seats, the president said last month. Trump’s Justice Department previously wrote Abort in early July, claiming that some of the Congressional districts in Texas were racially considered gerrymanders and violated the 14th amendment to the Constitution.
Paul Steinhauser of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
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