Texas House Democrats fled to New York and Illinois to avoid voting on a Republican-backed bill that redraws congressional maps to favor GOP candidates. Without a quorum of 100 members, the Republicans' 88 members cannot conduct business. Speaker Dustin Burrows noted that departures only delay proceedings. Democrats see the bill as unfair rule changes that equate to cheating, with Rep. James Talarico condemning the maneuver. Gov. Greg Abbott criticized the Democrats for abandoning their responsibilities and threatened to track and arrest absent lawmakers.
Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows stated, "To be absolutely clear, leaving the state doesn't stop this House from doing its work, it just delays it," after failing to reach a quorum.
State Rep. James Talarico (D-Austin) criticized Republican efforts, saying, "This is like two football teams coming out of the locker room at halftime and the team that's ahead says they want to change the rules for the second half because they want to win the game."
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared that the quorum-breaking Democrats should "behave like adults, rather than going AWOL," and suggested their expulsion from office.
Attorney General Ken Paxton expressed concerns about the actions of those absconding from their legislative duties, emphasizing the importance of accountability for elected officials.
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