A feud erupted among Texas House Democrats as some trickled back to the state Capitol Monday after nearly a month in Washington, D.C., their returns coming on the heels of a court order blocking Gov. Greg Abbott from arresting them.
Democratic state Rep. Ana-Maria Ramos ripped three state legislators who were in attendance Monday for the second special session, tweeting that “you all threw us under the bus today! Why?”
She alleged that they “checked in today to help Republicans pass anti-voter bills. There is currently an injunction stopping TX from arresting Democrats, yet these Democrats on the floor today chose to participate in voter suppression.”
Also steamed was Democratic state Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who tweeted, “I’ve said this before … it’s a Team Sport … now we see who plays what positions on the Team.”
State District Judge Brad Urrutia issued a temporary restraining order late Sunday in response to a lawsuit filed by 19 Democratic caucus members preventing Mr. Abbott and House Speaker Dade Phelan from making good on their threats to bring the wayward legislators back to Austin.
“The fact that some of us secured a Temporary Restraining Order to protect ALL of us, yet some are trying to please the Governor and His OPPRESSIVE Agenda?! JUST WOW,” Ms. Crockett said.
@jamestalarico @RepMaryGonzalez @moodyforelpaso you all threw us under the bus today! Why? pic.twitter.com/yD6ODZKFcP
— Representative Ana-Maria Ramos (@Ramos4Texas) August 9, 2021
The “call of the House” count Monday was 95, still five short of the 100 needed for a quorum, according to the Texas Tribune, but closer than at any point since nearly 60 House Democrats flew via chartered jets on July 12 to Washington at the start of the first special session to block the passage of an elections bill.
The House Democrats reportedly present at the statehouse were Reps. Art Fierro, Mary Gonzalez, Joe Moody and James Talarico, who announced his return on social media.
“I’m home!” tweeted Mr. Talarico. “Our quorum break shined a national spotlight on the TX voter suppression bill and pushed Congress closer to passing a federal voting rights act to override it. I’m confident they will. Now I’m back to clean up Greg Abbott’s latest messes from COVID to ERCOT.”
I’m home!
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) August 9, 2021
Our quorum break shined a national spotlight on the TX voter suppression bill and pushed Congress closer to passing a federal voting rights act to override it. I’m confident they will.
Now I’m back to clean up Greg Abbott’s latest messes from COVID to ERCOT. #txlege pic.twitter.com/9BBQOxbziz
Not happy about it was Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, who said she was “[p]raying no other Democrats willingly go to the Floor.”
She said she would avoid the statehouse because “the longer we hold line, we buy Congress time to pass a bill to protect voting rights of Texans. If Texas passes [its] bill 1st, Texans may not be covered by feds.”
Mr. Abbott, who called a second special session last week as the first 30-day session expired, has vowed to keep calling such sessions until the House acts on the elections bill ripped by Democrats as a voter-suppression measure, which Republicans deny.
A hearing on the temporary restraining order is scheduled for Aug. 20, but Abbott spokesperson Renae Eze said the Republican governor is confident that he would prevail in court.
“The ruling by the Travis County judge is contrary to the Texas Constitution and violates the separation of powers between the different branches of government,” Ms. Eze said in a statement to the Tribune. “We are confident that this overstep will be overturned. Texas Democrats need to stop the charades and get back to work.”
The lawsuit, filed by attorneys Sam Bassett, Jeremy Monthy and Megan Rue, was separate from a much-mocked complaint filed Friday by 22 House Democrats represented by former Rep. Craig Anthony Washington, who is practicing under a probationally suspended license.
Mr. Abbott notched a legal victory Monday on a related issue when the Texas Supreme Court upheld his veto of the legislative branch’s budget, a step he took after Democrats walked out near the end of the regular session in May over the hotly debated elections bill.
“No pay for those who abandon their responsibilities,” Mr. Abbott tweeted May 31.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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