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- Spunky
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Texas House Democrats leave state to block Republicans from passing...
voting restrictions!
Texas state House Democrats left the state Monday in an effort to block Republicans from passing a restrictive new voting lawin the remaining 27 days of the special legislative session called by Gov. Greg Abbott.
The majority of the Democrats fleeing Texas are flying to Washington, DC, on two chartered jets, two sources familiar with the Democrats' plans.
They have kept planning secret because they can be legally compelled to return to the state Capitol and believed law enforcement could be sent to track them down, the sources said.The group is "hoping" to meet with US Senate Democrats while they're in Washington, according to a source familiar with their plans.
Their move places Texas at the heart of the national fight over voting rights, with GOP state lawmakers turning the rump's lies about widespread voting fraudinto a push for new laws that limit mail-in voting, early voting and more.Â
Former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, who came close to winning a Senate seat in Texas in 2018 and is a potential 2022 gubernatorial candidate, testified at a state legislative hearing on the GOP bills over the weekend and raised money for Texas House Democrats' effort on Monday.
"These Texas Democrats are the courage the country needs right now," he said on Twitter. "They give us a fighting chance to pass the For the People Act -- and save our democracy."
- Spunky
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Re: Texas House Democrats leave state to block Republicans from passing...
Vice President Kamala Harris met with the Texas state House Democrats in Washington, DC.
She thanked the group for their efforts and met to discuss their concerns on restrictive voting laws.
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Hopefully their efforts won't be in vain..
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Re: Texas House Democrats leave state to block Republicans from passing...
Shortly after landing in Washington D.C. in an effort to deny the Texas House a quorum to block a voting restrictions bill, House Democrats indicated they plan to remain out of state until the end of the special legislative session that ends Aug. 6.
Democrats’ Monday departure from the state upends the Legislature's ability to turn any bills into law just days into a 30-day session that was called largely to advance GOP-backed legislation that would enact new restrictions on voting.
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Thread Starter- Spunky
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Re: Texas House Democrats leave state to block Republicans from passing...
Sen. Joe Manchin, a key vote in the effort to pass federal voting rights legislation, on Thursday said he and a group of Texas House Democrats, who have fled their state in an effort to block restrictive voting bills, have come to a "total agreement" on what they want, which is "basically to protect voting rights.
"Since arriving in Washington on Monday, Texas Democrats have sought meetings with members of Congress to urge them to pass federal voting rights legislation, including the For the People Act, the sweeping Democratic voting and election bill shot down by Senate Republicans last month.
After meeting with members of the Texas delegation, Manchin said the next step is to put together a pared-down bill that focuses solely on protecting the right to vote and the procedure of voting.
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Re: Texas House Democrats leave state to block Republicans from passing...
President Biden and Democrats are pressing for passage of theFor the People Act and theJohn Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which are likely to increase voter turnout if made into law.
Neither measure is expected to survive unless the Democratic Senate majority moves to create a "carveout" to end the filibuster on the voting rights acts, and, possibly, Biden's sweeping infrastructure bill.
The President has not forced the filibuster issue, but it's possible his own speech on voting rights and the publicity surrounding the Texans leaving their posts will increase political pressure on the White House.
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