Dallas (1080 KRLD) - Republicans in the Texas House of Representatives have approved a resolution urging the House Sergeant at Arms to approve arrest warrants for Democrats who refuse to return to the State Capitol. More than 50 Democrats went to Washington D.C. Monday to prevent a quorum and action on bills lawmakers are considering during the special session.
"We're not doing this for Democrats. We're doing this for Republicans. We're doing this for independents. We're doing this for North Texans, South Texans, East and West Texans," says Rafael Anchia [D-Dallas].
Anchia says Democrats are prepared to stay in Washington until the end of the special session on August 6th.
"The process was poisoned," he says. "It was poisoned by a governor who said he was going to de-fund the legislative branch."
Tuesday morning, Will Metcalf (R-Conroe) proposed a resolution ordering the "Sergeant at Arms, or officers appointed by him, send for all absentees under warrant of arrest if necessary." The resolution passed 76-4, opposed by the four Democrats remaining at the Capitol.
The warrants of arrest mean the Democrats who have left Texas could be taken into custody and returned to Texas, but no criminal charges would be filed.
The Texas Department of Public Safety would also not have jurisdiction in Washington D.C. During a previous attempt to break quorum in 2003, Democrats went to New Mexico and Oklahoma. Both states refused to allow troopers to take the lawmakers into custody without a warrant.
Rep. Chris Turner (D-Grand Prairie), chairman of the caucus, has promised that enough Democrats will remain out of the state to deny a quorum through the end of the special session on August 6th.
Turner, speaking in Washington Tuesday morning, said the Democrats will focus their efforts on getting national leaders to act on voting rights. "We can’t hold this tide back forever. We’re buying some time. We need Congress and all of our federal leaders to use that time wisely,” he said.
The broken quorum effectively derails the special session, with the House paralyzed and unable to conduct business. Several House committee meetings scheduled for Tuesday were also canceled due to a lack of quorum.
Gov. Greg Abbott, speaking Monday night with KVUE-TV in Austin, promised that the legislative priorities would be passed eventually, regardless of the Democrats' stalling tactics.
"I can and I will continue to call a special session after special session after special session all the way up until election next year," said Abbott. "And so if these people want to be hanging out wherever they're hanging out on this taxpayer-paid junket, they're going to have to be prepared to do it for well over a year. As soon as they come back in the state of Texas, they will be arrested, they will be cabined inside the Texas Capitol until they get their job done. Everybody who has a job must show up to do that job, just like your viewers on watching right now. State representatives have that same responsibility."
Lawmakers are expected to be called back for at least one more special session later in the fall when redistricting and allocating some $16 billion in federal coronavirus funding are expected to be on the agenda.
Related
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow NewsRadio 1080 KRLD