Texas Democrats head for Washington to thwart Republican voting restrictions
The Texas House of Representatives is expected to give early approval to sweeping new voting restrictions in a special legislative session
The decision to hole up in Washington is aimed at ratcheting up pressure on President Joe Biden and Congress to act on voting at the federal level
Monday, July 12, 2021
State Rep. Erin Zwiener (D-Driftwood) joined Texas House Democrats effort to break quorum when the House of Representatives reconvenes Tuesday morning by leaving the state.
Texas Democrats announced Monday they were leaving the state in an attempt to block Republican-led voting legislation from being passed during the current special-called legislative session. At least 51 of the 67 Democratic representatives the number needed to break quorum were in the process of leaving the state Monday afternoon with a majority boarding a chartered flight from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to Washington D.C., according to The Texas Tribune.
“The decision to leave the state was not an easy one, but I know that this is the only way to keep the harmful legislation that Governor Abbott has prioritized for the special session from passing,” Zwiener said in a statement. “I do not take this move lightly, and it is with a heavy heart that I leave my commun
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Taking an admittedly bold step, Democrats in the Texas House left the state Monday afternoon to break quorum and derail GOP plans to pass sweeping changes to election laws during the special session of the Legislature.
More than 50 House Democrats made the trip on two chartered flights from Austin to Washington, D.C., landing after dark and speaking to assembled reporters and proclaiming that they plan to remain there until the special session ends Aug. 7. We have courage, conviction and a little bit of defiance, said Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, said. We re here to rally the nation.
By Kenny Webster
Jul 13, 2021
Imagine a group of liberal lawmakers who actively support the Green New Deal, an environmentalist policy that discourages people from traveling by air, but decided to skip work and take private planes to Washington DC for a photo-op.
Now imagine that same group of lawmakers openly support a bill in Washington DC that would eliminate the ability for Republicans in Washington to filibuster while actively participating in a filibuster against a bill that would grant integrity to elections in their home state.
You don t have to imagine because that s exactly what s happening right now as Democratic lawmakers in the Texas legislature flee the state on two chartered flights to Washington DC to prevent the passage of Republican-led bills aimed at restoring election integrity during a special session called for by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The special session also includes a vote on a bill that seeks to stop bond reform, a progressive policy that has be
By Kenny Webster
Jul 13, 2021
Imagine a group of liberal lawmakers who actively support the Green New Deal, an environmentalist policy that discourages people from traveling by air, but decided to skip work and take private planes to Washington DC for a photo-op.
Now imagine that same group of lawmakers openly support a bill in Washington DC that would eliminate the ability for Republicans in Washington to filibuster while actively participating in a filibuster against a bill that would grant integrity to elections in their home state.
You don t have to imagine because that s exactly what s happening right now as Democratic lawmakers in the Texas legislature flee the state on two chartered flights to Washington DC to prevent the passage of Republican-led bills aimed at restoring election integrity during a special session called for by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The special session also includes a vote on a bill that seeks to stop bond reform, a progressive policy that has be