Nicole Collier returned to the Texas Capitol after fleeing with over 50 Democratic colleagues to break quorum and delay a gerrymandering redistricting vote. Collier refused to sign a permission slip promising to return and to accept a state police escort, and she slept in the House chamber rather than comply. State Republicans issued civil-arrest warrants and Governor Greg Abbott sought federal involvement to compel lawmakers back. Lawmakers who signed the slip reported being followed by officers. Collier said the tactics were inconsistent with a free democracy and urged resistance to preserve civil freedoms. The episode illustrated heightened partisan tensions and aggressive enforcement tactics in the Texas Legislature.
"The democratic congresswoman has been in " illegal confinement" in the state chamber since Monday, having refused to comply with Texas GOP politicians' crazy chaperoning rules. She is one of over 50 Democrats who fled Texas in early August, breaking quorum in order to delay a vote on gerrymandering, and one of two dozen who returned earlier this week. After refusing to sign a slip ensuring she'd return for the redistricting vote on Wednesday, Collier was forced to sleep in the chamber for the last two nights."
"State Republicans previously threw a temper tantrum over their escape, with Governor Greg Abbott saying he would get the FBI to wrangle the Dems back into his domain, and House Speaker Dustin Burrows issuing civil-arrest warrants. On Monday, Burrows pressured all prodigal lawmakers to sign a " permission slip" to: 1) promise to return for the vote; and 2) let a state police officer follow them until they did. If they didn't comply, the House speaker warned the runaway Dems that they wouldn't be able to leave the chamber without risking arrest. Texas has long been known for its political theater, but even this authoritarian stunt of Trump cronyism was surprising."
"This is not what a free democracy does," Texas Rep. Nicole Collier told NPR on Tuesday, while being held captive at the Texas State Capitol in Austin. "We've got to put a stop to it, we've got to take a stand, and protect the freedoms that we have, because before we know it... we won't have any freedoms to defend."
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