Nobody is above the law, and Texas Democrat Caucus Chair Gene Wu is about to learn that the hard way.
After dozens of Texas House Democrats abandoned the state and went to hide in blue states to prevent the House from reaching a two-thirds quorum on a GOP-backed redistricting plan that could give Republicans five extra seats in the U.S. House, Texas Governor Greg Abbott decided enough was enough.
First, the Texas House authorized arrest warrants for these delinquent Democrats to bring them back and force them to vote, and Abbott then ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to track them down and return them to the House chamber to force a quorum. As reported by Bonchie, the likelihood of these arrests is slim, given the Democrats in both Illinois and New York don't want Republicans to gain seats any more than Texas Democrats do.
Read: Texas House Passes Arrest Warrants for Democrats Who Fled, Gov. Abbott Takes Immediate Action
But Abbott isn't stopping there.
Now, the Lone Star State governor is going after the runaway Democrats' ringleader, Wu.
As reported by The Hill, Abbott has filed a motion to remove Wu from office through the Texas constitution, which states that it can do so if the officeholder has abandoned his position:
Abbott’s suit argues that the Democrats who left Texas “have abandoned their official duties required by the Constitution, which would allow legislation to pass in a 30-day session that is vital to Texans’ needs, such as flood relief, property tax relief, and public-school reforms.”
“Public records suggest that the absconding Democrats even solicited money to pay the fines incurred for their absence,” the suit continues. “The problem here is that the harm these members have inflicted can continue perpetually. They may return from a quorum break for a few days and then abscond once again if legislation that does not please them is put to a vote.”
Now, according to a post on X from Abbott himself, Wu has been ordered to respond to the lawsuit against him by Friday.
Wu responded to the lawsuit to remove him from office on Tuesday, claiming he's actually fulfilling his oath to the constitution and that "Denying the governor a quorum was not an abandonment of my office; it was a fulfillment of my oath.”
The lawsuit could be a tricky one, according to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
“We find no constitutional provision or statute establishing an exhaustive list for why a vacancy occurs or the grounds under which an officer may be judicially removed from office,” he wrote, according to Politico.
There will likely be a myriad of legal challenges that follow an attempt at a removal from office, which is likely what's giving Wu his confidence, but it seems Abbott and Paxton are going to pursue these solutions anyway.
Running from the state in order to avoid a vote they don't like is becoming something of a proud tradition from Texas Democrats, as they pulled this stunt back in 2021, and it seems Abbott is going to attempt to close the door on it with this move.
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy RedState’s conservative reporting that takes on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.
Join RedState VIP and use the promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership!