Governor Greg Abbott Closes the Barn Door, But the Horses Have Bolted

Protecting Voter Rights in TexasAP

In a move that would probably have been of some use had they executed it last week, Texas GOP members have instituted a lockdown in the House. Members cannot leave the House chamber without the consent of the Speaker. It’s too little, too late, as the empty chairs in the House chamber attest.

On Tuesday morning the Texas House Republicans formally asked the sergeant at arms to round up the missing Democrats with arrest warrants if necessary.

Empty Seats in the Texas HouseAP

63 out of 67 Democratic birds flew the coop on Monday. Two have House consent for their absence, and the others, well, they're on the lam, holed up very visibly in Washington, where they are safely ensconced, beyond the reach of Governor Abbott and Texas Law enforcement.

It's the second time in as many months that Texas Democrats have abandoned Texas for the safety of Washington. Breaking quorum is the last tool at their disposal to prevent the passing of restrictive voter legislation proposed by Governor Abbot’s GOP-led majority.

It also a tactic they're familiar with. A similar move successfully killed an earlier version of the bill on the last day of the legislative session in late May, and Democratic lawmakers are hoping for a repeat.

The absentee Democrats cannot be legally forced to return from out of state. but once they are back in the state, lawmakers can pass resolutions to fine them for every day they were gone. Other more trivial punishments may also be exercised, such as the loss of privileges, for instance, parking spaces.

They can also confine them to the House to ensure voting on a raft of bills is concluded, assuming that is, that the house is in session. Governor Abbott convened a special 30-day session specifically to seek to have the voter reforms passed, and of course, Democrats won't be headed back toward Texas until the session ends on August 7.

Whilst in Washington, the Democrats are calling for Federal Voting Legislation. According to USA Today article;

“In front of the U.S. Capitol on a sweltering 90-degree day Tuesday, the Texas Democrats called on Congress to pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, bills aimed at expanding voting protections that have stalled in a divided Congress.”

The Errant Democratic LawmakersAP

It’s hugely unlikely that the Texas Democrats can stave off another round of voting when they do eventually return to Texas, particularly given the steps Governor Abbott has now taken to ensure they are sequestered on their return.

They also face other real-world issues. Extended stays in other states place drains on household budgets, not to mention political goodwill with voters. They can be threatened with losing their state legislative pay or even potentially be sued, as Oregon’s Democratic governor threatened to do to the absent GOP lawmakers. Abbott has already docked lawmakers’ pay.

Their only hope in sidestepping the vote a third time now lies in the hands of the Federal legislature.

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