Abbott Threatens To Remove House Dems
Texas Democrats Flee to Block Redistricting
Texas Democrats fled to Chicago to block a GOP redistricting vote that could add five Republican seats. Gov. Greg Abbott threatened jail and expulsion if they don’t return by Monday, saying, “Real Texans don’t flee from a battle.” He warned, “Derelict Democrat House members must return” or face removal and arrest.
Legal Threats and Political Fight
Abbott accused Democrats of abandoning duties and warned that “soliciting funds to evade fines” might be a felony. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton supports finding and arresting them. Abbott said legislators who “forfeited… office due to abandonment” can be replaced quickly.
Democrats Respond
The Texas House Democratic Caucus replied, “Come and take it,” calling the GOP plan a “racist mid-decade redistricting scheme.” Chair Rep. Gene Wu said, “We’ve come to put a stop to this rotten system.”
Support and Controversy
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker called their actions a “righteous act of courage” against voter suppression. The redistricting hearing saw no public support, ending with a protester forcibly removed after declaring, “History will not remember you for what you have done!”
