Texas Democrats Sue Greg Abbott as Second Special Legislative Session Set to Convene
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
A group of 22 Democratic lawmakers from the Texas State House filed a lawsuit on Friday against Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, as well as two other Republican lawmakers in the state—alleging that they violated their civil rights after they fled the state in an effort to prevent controversial voting legislation from passing.
More than 50 of Texas' Democratic state representatives left the southwestern state for Washington, D.C. in early July to prevent the State House from having quorum, so it could not pass contentious legislation that they say will severely restrict access to voting. Abbott has threatened to arrest the Democratic lawmakers.
The Democratic lawmakers' new lawsuit was filed on the final day of a special legislative session called by Abbott in a bid to push through the voting bill. In addition to the governor, they sued State House Speaker Dade Phelan and State Representative James White—who are both Republicans, The Texas Tribune first reported. The lawsuit alleged that the Republicans' efforts to force them to return to Texas infringed on their constitutional rights to free speech and to petition the government for redress of grievances.
A second special legislative session commences on Saturday. But with most State House Democrats out of the state, the legislative body will likely remain immobilized for the time being.
In the lawsuit, the Democrats allege that they were "deprived of liberty for substantial periods of time, suffered much anxiety and distress over separation from their families, and much discomfort and embarrassment" due to the Republican leaders' actions. However, the lawsuit does not provide many specifics of how the Democratic lawmakers were harmed. It calls for just $5 in actual damages, as well as $10 in punitive damages.
Newsweek reached out to Abbott and Phelan for comment, but did not immediately receive responses.
The GOP-backed Texas voting bill would significantly empower partisan poll watchers in the state, ban the use of ballot drop boxes for mail-in ballots, block drive-thru voting as well as 24-hour voting sites, and forbid local election officials from mailing out absentee ballot applications to all eligible voters. GOP lawmakers also aim to tighten restrictions on mail-in voting.
"Today, Texas House Democrats stand united in our decision to break quorum and refuse to let the Republican-led legislature force through dangerous legislation that would trample on Texans' freedom to vote," Democratic leaders said in a joint July statement after they fled the state.
Similar voting legislation has been proposed and passed in multiple states across the country in the wake of former President Donald Trump's loss in the 2020 election. Republicans contend that the legislation is necessary to secure elections, but multiple studies and analyses have consistently shown that voter fraud is incredibly rare in U.S. elections. The effort has largely been animated by Trump's false claims that the 2020 election was rife with widespread fraud.
Although Trump and many GOP supporters continue to claim that President Joe Biden "rigged" or "stole" the election, they have not brought forward evidence that corroborates this claim. Dozens of election challenge lawsuits filed in state and federal courts by the former president and his allies have failed. Even judges appointed by Trump and other Republicans have rejected the allegations.
Former U.S. Attorney General William Barr, who was widely viewed as one of Trump's most loyal Cabinet members, said in December that there was "no evidence" to support the claims of widespread fraud. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency at the Department of Homeland Security also said after the election that it was the "most secure in American history." The agency, which was led by a Trump appointee at the time, asserted that there was "no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised."
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So, will everyone condemn this useless, baseless, frivolous lawsuit?
Why are Texas Democrats whining about this?
They don't have a right to petition the government for redress of grievances?
No one stopped them from doing exactly that.
I see no basis for the suit, do you?
From the article:
Democrats weren't deprived at all, they just are acting like petulant children deprived of getting their own way.
They knowingly and willingly broke the law; and were damn proud of it and celebrated it all the way to DC. Now that they realize they will have to actually pay for breaking the law they are scared and want to get out of it any they can.
Yes, they are entitled to "right to petition the government for redress of grievances". They are also entitled to be laughed out of court and be forced to pay for all legal fees for the state and court costs. But in case you missed it in the article.
What a fucking joke. Republicans should offer to pay their "damages"; but only on condition that they come back to Texas to collect. Where they can be subsequently arrested and face a real trial and suffer real punishments.
Fuck them. If they can't do the time they shouldn't have done the crime.
There won't be any trials for them, they will simply be forced to do their jobs--like they SHOULD have been doing all along.
But they do have that right. But any alleged injury, be it financial or physical, they have inflicted upon themselves.
They don't have a legitimate gripe, and a nuisance lawsuit won't change that.
There is no limit on the number of times that Abbott can call for a special session.
There is nothing in the proposed bill that would discriminate against any group, nor restrict access to voting.
These Covid infected clowns need to quit the political theater and do their damn jobs.
What law is that?
Amen!
If they don't want to legislate, they SHOULD do the honorable thing and resign, but I know folks who turn tail and run have no such honor.
The governor should continue to issue special session after special session non stop until the next regular biennial session starts. See if they are willing to stay away from their homes, families, businesses, state for well over a year without interruption. Make that the price they pay.
Count on it.
Wait... Here it is!
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
You just show me where Democrats were deprived of addressing their grievances and you might begin to have a legitimate point.
Until then, just a bunch of children whining away while getting paid to NOT do their JOBS.
As soon as you show me where it's illegal to go to Washington.
Um, you probably need to read MY posts again.
Quote me saying it was illegal or ask someone else.
You know what they did was wrong.
Everyone knows it.
Wrong isn't necessarily illegal.
Why don't YOU show where they weren't allowed to redress the government?
Everything is legal unless there's an actual law making it illegal. Threatening to arrest these citizens for going to Washington, or anywhere else, is a violation of their civil rights. This is why the suit could have merit. They can spend as long as it takes to "address their grievances" in Washington.
Only when they return to Texas. And it's not a law they would be arrested for. They would simply be taken into custody and escorted to the legislature to DO THEIR JOB as they were elected to do.
Democrats knew the rules and deliberately broke them.
If they don't want to legislate, why not resign and let someone who actually WANTS to work do the job?
Even the Democrats who ran like pussies know they are doomed to failure. Abbott can call as many special sessions as necessary to force lawmakers to do their job which they professed to want. Do you think they are dedicated enough to this lost cause to move from Texas?
I'd love to be one of the ones taking them into custody. We might hit a few bumps in the road on the way to the State House.
No, no, I want them delivered in pristine condition to the State House to do the job they told their constituents they would do before being elected.
They don't have legitimate grievances. This is just another left wing political stunt that they typically use when they can't win the argument
When you take someone into custody you are arresting them. If they haven't broken any law that's called false arrest, which is a crime.
No arrest, simply returned to the State House as law allows.
You should learn what the rules are before protesting about this. The Democrats knew the rules and what would happen.
May I have them after their job is done. Just me and my Baseball bat?
Of course!!!
No use to me after they make the quorum necessary to pass legislation.
You see? Now you're violating their civil rights by threatening violence against them if they return to Texas.
Believe it or not the federal congress both houses have similar rules to detain and force to return to the chamber they fled to insure a quorum.
That is simply a load of crap.
Say, did you ever find any evidence that Texas Democrats didn't get to air their grievances to the government?
They're still doing it so Texas will just have to wait until they're done. Hey... They're Texans. They have a lot of grievances.
So they were NOT denied any rights that you previously insinuated they lost.
I suspected as much, especially when I pressed you and you ignored it.
I didn't ignore you. I said they had a lot of grievances. It could take months to get them all addressed. They stayed for their entire session. Special sessions, for solely political shenanigans, are bullspit and they can go wherever they want.
Sorry, I consider not bothering to acknowledge a question or answer it to be ignoring me.
You insinuated that the Democrats had their rights denied, which is just patently false. You can't name a single right they are currently being denied despite what you insinuated.
It may take even longer than that since Biden refuses to meet with them.
I know the irony in that sentence will escape you, but calling special sessions of a State Legislature a political shenanigan, but seriously don't think that leaving the state with the sole purpose of denying a legal quorum is not?
Whoo Boy!
LMAO!
Idiots will do idiotic things.
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“In the lawsuit, the Democrats allege that they were "deprived of liberty for substantial periods of time, suffered much anxiety and distress over separation from their families, and much discomfort and embarrassment"”
this is funny. It was their decision to leave, nobody forced them to. And in the pics i saw of them they sure didn’t look deprived of liberrty, or distressed, or suffering from anxiety. They looked like they were having the time of their lives. Two of them are now vacationing in portugal. Oh those poor victims. You’d think they would know by now if you don’t want to be embarrassed don’t do anything embarrassing, but i guess not.
Yeah, have you heard one word of criticism for those two vacationing in Portugal like we heard for Cruz going to Mexico?
Democrats filing this suit is ludicrous. A wise judge would toss this worthless suit.
“Yeah, have you heard one word of criticism for those two vacationing in Portugal like we heard for Cruz going to Mexico?“
Not a peep. Surprised? I’m not.
Weird to me that Democrats support people turning tail and running away versus doing the job they asked for.
This "suit" has no merit whatsoever.
turning tail and running away is a democrat specialty. They did it in Texas and they are doing it in Afganistan
only the willfully ignorant believe that the afghan withdrawal wasn't worked out prior to 01/20/21.
"Today, Texas House Democrats stand united in our decision to break quorum and refuse to let the Republican-led legislature force through dangerous legislation that would trample on Texans' freedom to vote," Democratic leaders said in a joint July statement after they fled the state.
I understand that they are now vacationing in Brazil.
Why don't Senate Republicans do the same thing?
Lindsey Graham said they would if that’s what it took to prevent reconciliation of that 5 trillion $ progressive wish list of spending increases and tax hikes.
1- deprived of liberty for substantial periods of time
They voluntarily left Texas and violated the then COVID protocols doing so. Democrat failure.
2- suffered much anxiety and distress over separation from their families
Maybe they should have thought about that before they voluntarily left Texas.
3- much discomfort and embarrassment
All self induced. Besides it was those idiots that begged for "care packages" further embarrassing themselves individually and collectively plus their families at home. Can you imagine the snickering going on behind the backs of their families when people look at them and remember that their family member in DC, besides bilking the Texas taxpayers of $221.00 a day in per diem for NOT working, have the audacity to beg for more?
Oh, and how many people did THEY infect with COVID with this pathetic stunt?
Typical Orwellian assault on language from Democrats.
remember the days of yore when the filibuster was a threat to Democracy? Democrats, since they have no principles, now support preventing any votes on a law.
The actions of Texas Democrats are simply indefensible.