Abbott Calls Second Special Session, Wants Change in Quorum Rule

 

Second Session Set to Start on Saturday 

There doesn't seem much in the laundry list of topics to make it worth for the Democrats to return to Austin, only to be consigned to the role of ineffective opposition on issues they fervently disagree on with the Republican majority. There is no sign that Abbott or the Republicans in the Legislature are willing to compromise, so all that is in store for Dems is the futility of their bodily presence. It sure doesn't inspire confidence that Governor Abbott has vowed that the quorum-breakers would be arrested upon their return to the state, and that Speaker Dade Phelan saw fit to actually issue a civil arrest warrant against at least one of them.  

What is worse is the prospect of being deprived of the ability to kill extremist or otherwise unacceptable GOP-sponsored bills through a walkout in the future. Ominously, the Governor has responded to LG Patrick's call to change the quorum requirements, presumably to weaken them to such a degree as to allow the Republicans to pass whatever they want irrespective of a legislative boycott by the minority Democrats. 

Ominously on the Agenda:
Legislation relating to legislative quorum requirements

This would be yet another debilitating blow to the opposition party and would mark a further consolidation of power by the Texas GOP, and of one-party rule at the state level. The Legislature currently is the only branch of Texas state government in which the Democrats have any representation at all. 

SOURCE MATERIAL AND REFERENCES

Gov. Abbott's Proclamation: 

https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/press/PROC_second_called_session_87th_legislature_IMAGE_08-05-21.pdf 

Gov. Greg Abbott announces special legislative session starting Saturday, covering elections, federal COVID-19 funding, quorum rules. The governor said Thursday the second special session will get underway at noon Saturday, with a 17-item agenda. TEXAS TRIBUNE 2021-08-05 by PATRICK SVITEK.   

Quorum-busting Texas House Democrats still plotting next move ahead of second special session. Following Gov. Greg Abbott’s announcement that a second round of legislative overtime would begin Saturday, the Democrats who relocated to Washington, D.C., to prevent the House from having enough members to conduct business indicated they are still discussing what they’ll do now. TEXAS TRIBUNE 2021-08-05 by ALEXA URA. 

Speaker Dade Phelan signs civil arrest warrant for Texas House Democrat who returned to Washington. The warrant to apprehend state Rep. Philip Cortez is the first one signed by the speaker since more than 50 House Democrats left the state to block Republicans from having the quorum needed to pass legislation during the special legislative session. TEXAS TRIBUNE 2021-07-26 by CASSANDRA POLLOCK. 

Texas House Republicans vote to track down absent Democrats and arrest them if necessary. The procedural move carries little apparent weight since the Democrats who fled the state to break quorum are beyond the jurisdiction of Texas law enforcement. TEXAS TRIBUNE by  PATRICK SVITEK and  CASSANDRA POLLOCK. 

Two Texas Lege Dems AWOL in Portugal

 PORTED TO PORTUGAL 

Playing Hooky in Portugal 

Bad optics, to say the least. On the other hand, the contingent of democracy-saviors-in-exile that remains mission-minded in the nation's capital should not take the bad rap for the action of those two. 

Hopefully, the porto-bound vacationers won't take the public per-diem while basking on the beach. That would make them look even worse. 

REFERENCE: 

Two House Democrats who broke quorum missing from Washington, D.C., reportedly vacationing in Portugal. Their vacation does not affect the lack of quorum that the House has in Austin that prevents the chamber from passing an elections bill. But it is at odds with Democrats’ insistence that they would use their time away to advocate for federal voting rights legislation in the nation’s capital. TEXAS TRIBUNE 2021-08-04 by PATRICK SVITEK and CASSANDRA POLLOCK.   

Politicians on Wheels

 

Garnet Coleman stayed behind

TRIUMPH OVER TRAGEDY TOO

Since Coleman is in a wheelchair and recovering from the amputation of the lower right leg, shouldn't he be excused from attendance, and enjoy immunity from arrest for state house special-session absenteeism? On the other hand, Governor Abbott has been rolling to and from work and speaking engagements around the state for decades (since 1984), so perhaps this gubernantorial precedent for the proposition that a wheelchair is no barrier to mobility would provide a rationale for rounding up disabled lawmakers of the opposition party. 

“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,” Abbott said of absent Democratic House members who left the state for Washington.  

PS: The Tribune is still talking about the Democrats "fleeing" the state. Flight alright, from to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA) to Dulles International Airport (AID), but fleeing?

REFERENCES 

Jolie McCullough, Surgery kept one longtime Democratic lawmaker from fleeing Texas. He fears missing a moment in history more than arrest. Houston state Rep. Garnet Coleman has been at the forefront of voting and social justice battles for decades and helped lead the 2003 flight of Democratic legislators to Oklahoma. Not being with his colleagues who went to Washington, D.C., has been agonizing, he says. TEXAS TRIBUNE 2021-07-19 by BY JOLIE MCCULLOUGH.  

Texas Dems Leave Austin in Effort to Stall GOP-Led Elections Bill. 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,” Republican Gov. Greg Abbott says. NBC DFW 2021-07-12 (updated 2021-07-13) (story contains responses by Texas Republicans). 

Will Tex-Dems Lose their Wanderlust in the Wilderness?

 GAUGING THE ATTENTION SPAN OF THE AUDIENCE  

TEXAS LEGISLATURE 2021 Analysis by Ross:
Texas Democrats may find themselves in the wilderness of wandering public attention

In today's commentary the Trib's Ross Ramsey explores the immediate future of the Texas House Democrats in exile, who have since been upgraded from quorum-breakers to quorum-busters. The rhetoric must be adjusted to fit the evolving severity of the crime as pitched to and perceived by the emotion-primed audience. Or so it might seem. 

The Runaway Legecritters  

The Tribune was at the ready to break the story when it was fresh, and set the tone for the coverage, which other headline writers then quickly emulated. The Democrats ran away, the public was told. Like cowards. Ken Paxton couldn't have framed it any better to cater to the legions of Dem-haters across the state. And that's just what he did.  

FLIGHT, NO FIGHT 
Paxton on Democrats "fleeing" the State 

To describe this occurrence in more sober and factual fashion, a large group of Democratic House members departed to assure a lack of quorum at gavelling-in time. But they didn't just make a quick escape to the runway to put themselves beyond the reach of state troopers; the destination was also thoughtfully chosen and with sound purpose: to push for a federal solution to the Republicans' impending restriction on voting arrangements at the state level. And to draw attention to their cause in the one place where attention is bound to be paid: the nation's capital. 

Forget the Holiday Inn in Ardmore, OK, along with John Wayne's last stand at The Alamo. . 

It is the Congress-oriented focus that makes this iteration of a previoulsy deployed parliamentary tactic more purposive in character, even if it should ultimately prove unsuccessful in averting the outcome that has been stalled for now. At least this group of Democrats proceeded with common purpose and tried. -- If you don't succeed at once, it does not follow that all effort has been in vain. 

In any event, what is the alternative? Just leaning back and letting the Republican majority have its way? Enjoy being taken, with fond recollections of Clayton William's ill-fated gubernatorial bid and associated bad weather analogies? 

And While Belaboring Analogies 

Mr. Ramsey reminds the attentive readership that a previous cross-border quorum-denial excursion ultimately failed. That was in 2003. Indeed, the Trib. did a separate story on this precedent in the annals of the voting wars in Texas. 

So far, so good, for historical perspective on this kind of legislative maneuvre. But the outcome isn't predetermined now, except that this group of ideological fellow travellers will return in the end too. That's a safe prediction alright. Why shouldn't they? 

But when? -- Likely no earlier than they said they would. After the first special session has ended. And after they have at least been successful in getting their concerns on the nation's agenda. Not to mention the public at home that doesn't pay all that much heed to politics unless something dramatic animates the news coverage on TV and social media channels.  

The Moral of the Story 

Perhaps the multitudes that don't currently care much about their right to vote will become more aware of what is at stake in the ongoing voting wars, and that nothing in politics should be taken for granted. 

If elected representatives are willing to run the risk of getting themselves arrested for their cause -- as promised by Governor Abbott -- perhaps there is more to their clamor than previously thought. 

Perhaps there is something of substance behind all the theatrics.  

REFERENCES: 

Ross Ramsey, Analysis: Texas Democrats may find themselves in the wilderness of wandering public attention. The legislative Democrats who decamped from Texas to Washington, D.C., to block a voting bill need public attention to pull the argument their way — and that's going to be harder to get after last week’s first news of their quorum-busting. TEXAS TRIBUNE 2021-07-19. 

Karen Brooks Harper, Texas Democrats’ decampment over voting legislation has echoes of 2003 redistricting fight. Now, as in 2003, Democrats say their main motivator is protecting the voices of Texas voters. Can they stop legislation that would restrict voting in Texas? TEXAS TRIBUNE 2021-07-15. 

The long, 'surreal' days of the runaway Texas legislators. Many have left young children behind; most have other professional obligations back in Texas. All seem to be operating on minimal sleep. NBC NEWS 2021-07-16 by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.