Speaker of the Texas House, Dustin Burrows (R), said Monday that he was prepared to issue civil arrest warrants for the Democrat lawmakers who fled the state to avoid voting on the GOP’s proposed new congressional maps.
“If you continue to go down this road, there will be consequences,” he warned.
Soon after, the Texas House passed a motion to issue arrest warrants.
“Chamber doors have been locked and House lawmakers have passed a motion to issue arrest warrants for Democratic state lawmakers who fled the state,” KVUE reporter Daniel Perreault reported.
Earlier Monday, Governor Greg Abbott warned Texas House Democrats that he would initiate removal proceedings if they do not return to duty in Austin, according to the Texas Tribune.
The Republicans’ proposed congressional map could potentially flip five U.S. House seats currently held by Democrats.
More than 50 Dems fled the state Sunday afternoon to prevent the Texas House from having the necessary number of members present to pass legislation.
“This truancy ends now,” Abbott said in a letter sent to each of the Democrat refuseniks. The governor gave them a deadline of 3 p.m. Monday to get back to the Texas Capitol.
In threatening to remove the elected officials from office, Abbott cited a nonbinding 2021 legal opinion from Attorney General Ken Paxton, who said it would be up to a court to decide whether a lawmaker who had left the state to deny quorum had forfeited their office.
Abbott also warned that any fundraising efforts to help the Democrat members pay for the daily fines they are incurring for their absence, could be a criminal offense.
The Texas Democrats are reportedly convening with fellow Dem lawmakers in Illinois, Massachusetts and New York to “discuss their options.”
During an appearance on CNN, Monday afternoon, Texas Republican state Rep. Brian Harrison accused his Democrat colleagues of hypocrisy for protesting the GOP’s redistricting plan, pointing out that Democrats are notorious for their redistricting shenanigans.
Holding up the Democrats’ their gerrymandered map, he exclaimed: “The HYPOCRISY and dishonesty of what he’s saying. I’m going to hold this up. Can you see this? Do you see this? Did CNN have [JB Pritzker] on to explain Illinois 13 – this pinky finger that goes across the ENTIRE STATE – that was 100 percent drawn for partisan political purposes!”
“But I haven’t seen anything that CNN or pretty much any of the other major networks bringing him on or the Democrats in his legislature that drew a map with districts that are FAR more gerrymandered than anything that the House that the Texas maps we’re contemplating look like here today.”
“So it’s the rank hypocrisy that’s my problem and the dishonesty and the faux outrage,” Harrison continued. “They’re not mad that states are redistricting for partisan purposes. They’re mad that a Republican state is doing it.”
The Texas House reconvened at 3 p.m. Monday, without Democrats.
Burrows said on the House floor, Monday: “In response to this dereliction of duty, and pursuant to the rules of the house, I am prepared to recognize a motion to place a call on the house and any other motions necessary to compel the return of absent members. Should such a motion prevail, I will immediately sign the warrants for the civil arrest of the members who have said they will not be here.”
He continued, “Come back and fulfill your duty, because this House will not sit quietly, while you obstruct the work of the people. The people of Texas are watching. And so is the nation. And if you choose to continue down this road, you should know there will be consequences.”
The Texas House is adjourned until Tuesday, August 5 at 1 p.m.