What's happening to elected Democrats in Texas

[Craig234]

Courtesy of Heather Cox Richardson:

"Yesterday, the 51 Democratic Texas state representatives who left the state for Illinois, New York, and Massachusetts on August 3 to prevent Republican lawmakers from redistricting Texas to give five Democratic congressional seats to Republicans went back home. Immediately, they discovered that Republican House speaker Dustin Burrows wanted them to sign a statement that committed them to showing up for the Wednesday morning vote on the rigged maps President Donald Trump demands, limiting their liberty until they enabled the Republicans’ power grab. Burrows also assigned state troopers to the Democrats to monitor their movements around the clock to make sure they were present Wednesday morning and until the final vote on the measure.

Refusal to sign the commitment meant risking arrest.

Representative Nicole Collier, a Black woman who represents a majority-minority district in Fort Worth, refused to sign. As Joe Sommerlad of The Independent reported, Collier said: “I refuse to sign. I will not agree to be in custody. I’m not a criminal. I am exercising my right to resist and oppose the decisions of our government. So this is my form of protest.” She said: “My constituents sent me to Austin to protect their voices and rights. I refuse to sign away my dignity as a duly elected representative just so Republicans can control my movements and monitor me with police escorts.” Noting that officers policing Democratic lawmakers were not on the beat, she suggested that loss made the public less safe.

Told she could not leave the Capitol building without being arrested, Collier spent the night inside the House chamber. When demonstrators showed up to support her, state troopers arrested them.

Texas state senator Roland Gutierrez posted a video of people outside the chamber chanting “Let Her Go!” to social media with the heading: “This is full-on authoritarianism.” In the video, he said: “This is the kind of bullsh*t that’s happening right now in the Texas legislature. Dustin Burrows has locked up Nicole Collier because she won’t sign some bullsh*t permission slip to be followed around by a DPS escort—that’s a cop following around for the next three weeks to make sure that she comes in and votes for this bullsh*t Donald Trump redistricting bill.”

“What’s going on in Texas is absolutely 100% wrong and locking up members of the legislature because they won’t sign your bullsh*t document: it’s just wrong. It’s wrong. We need more people up here fighting. We need more people up here fighting alongside state representative Nicole Collier who’s doing this protest because she must. And we all must. We must fight against Donald Trump and all of this madness that’s happening in this country and fight against his constant grab for power in the United States.”"

 

[Loulit01]

There's a law she broke?

 

[element94]

Courtesy of Heather Cox Richardson:

"Yesterday, the 51 Democratic Texas state representatives who left the state for Illinois, New York, and Massachusetts on August 3 to prevent Republican lawmakers from redistricting Texas to give five Democratic congressional seats to Republicans went back home. Immediately, they discovered that Republican House speaker Dustin Burrows wanted them to sign a statement that committed them to showing up for the Wednesday morning vote on the rigged maps President Donald Trump demands, limiting their liberty until they enabled the Republicans’ power grab. Burrows also assigned state troopers to the Democrats to monitor their movements around the clock to make sure they were present Wednesday morning and until the final vote on the measure.

Refusal to sign the commitment meant risking arrest.

Representative Nicole Collier, a Black woman who represents a majority-minority district in Fort Worth, refused to sign. As Joe Sommerlad of The Independent reported, Collier said: “I refuse to sign. I will not agree to be in custody. I’m not a criminal. I am exercising my right to resist and oppose the decisions of our government. So this is my form of protest.” She said: “My constituents sent me to Austin to protect their voices and rights. I refuse to sign away my dignity as a duly elected representative just so Republicans can control my movements and monitor me with police escorts.” Noting that officers policing Democratic lawmakers were not on the beat, she suggested that loss made the public less safe.

Told she could not leave the Capitol building without being arrested, Collier spent the night inside the House chamber. When demonstrators showed up to support her, state troopers arrested them.

Texas state senator Roland Gutierrez posted a video of people outside the chamber chanting “Let Her Go!” to social media with the heading: “This is full-on authoritarianism.” In the video, he said: “This is the kind of bullsh*t that’s happening right now in the Texas legislature. Dustin Burrows has locked up Nicole Collier because she won’t sign some bullsh*t permission slip to be followed around by a DPS escort—that’s a cop following around for the next three weeks to make sure that she comes in and votes for this bullsh*t Donald Trump redistricting bill.”

“What’s going on in Texas is absolutely 100% wrong and locking up members of the legislature because they won’t sign your bullsh*t document: it’s just wrong. It’s wrong. We need more people up here fighting. We need more people up here fighting alongside state representative Nicole Collier who’s doing this protest because she must. And we all must. We must fight against Donald Trump and all of this madness that’s happening in this country and fight against his constant grab for power in the United States.”"

Democrats are going to get this right in 2028, right? I've said before that I can no longer support the political party system of the United States for obvious reasons (billionaire control, felons allowed to run and win, a president covering up for underage sex trafficking pedophile rapists unchecked) but if the dems get this wrong again in 2028, it's over for this country.

 

[verrip1]

Democrats are going to get this right in 2028, right? I've said before that I can no longer support the political party system of the United States for obvious reasons (billionaire control, felons allowed to run and win, a president covering up for underage sex trafficking pedophile rapists unchecked) but if the dems get this wrong again in 2028, it's over for this country.

If you feel it's over for the US, I'll wish you good tidings in your new location.

 

[Mycroft]

I don't know anything about Texas law regarding this issue, so I asked Copilot about it.

what texas law requires legislators to show up when a special legislative session is called by the governor

Texas law doesn’t explicitly force legislators to attend a special session—but it does provide mechanisms to compel their presence. Here's how it works:

Legal Framework​

• Texas Constitution, Article III, Section 10: This section allows each chamber of the Legislature (House and Senate) to compel attendance of absent members. If a quorum is not present, the remaining members can authorize law enforcement to bring absent legislators back.
• Quorum Requirement: The Texas House requires at least 100 of its 150 members to be present to conduct business. If fewer show up, the House can vote to issue civil arrest warrants for absent members.

Enforcement in Practice​

• Civil Arrest Warrants: These are not criminal charges. They’re legal orders to detain lawmakers and bring them to the Capitol. In 2021 and again in 2025, Texas House leadership used this tactic when Democrats left the state to block redistricting bills.
• Capitol Confinement: Legislators who refuse to cooperate may be confined to the Capitol building until the vote is completed. In one recent case, Rep. Nicole Collier refused to sign a pledge to remain under police escort and was effectively detained inside the House chamber.

Governor’s Role​

• The governor can call unlimited special sessions, each lasting up to 30 days, and set the agenda. But the governor cannot directly force legislators to attend—only the Legislature itself can enforce attendance through its internal rules and procedures3.

So while there's no statute that says “you must show up,” the Constitution and House rules give leadership the tools to make absence very uncomfortable.​

So, it appears that the Texas legislature is well within their rights to do what they are doing. Seems to me this is a case of the Texas Democrats "F'ing Around and Finding Out".

 

[element94]

If you feel it's over for the US, I'll wish you good tidings in your new location.

Oh, I'll still vote against the fascist right wing, and I'm not going anywhere. The resistance will be my new home, and when I say that, think of something like the French resistance of WWII sabotaging the eff out of them.

 

[Loulit01]

I don't know anything about Texas law regarding this issue, so I asked Copilot about it.

what texas law requires legislators to show up when a special legislative session is called by the governor​

​

Texas law doesn’t explicitly force legislators to attend a special session—but it does provide mechanisms to compel their presence. Here's how it works:​

​

Legal Framework​

• Texas Constitution, Article III, Section 10: This section allows each chamber of the Legislature (House and Senate) to compel attendance of absent members. If a quorum is not present, the remaining members can authorize law enforcement to bring absent legislators back.
• Quorum Requirement: The Texas House requires at least 100 of its 150 members to be present to conduct business. If fewer show up, the House can vote to issue civil arrest warrants for absent members.

​

Enforcement in Practice​

• Civil Arrest Warrants: These are not criminal charges. They’re legal orders to detain lawmakers and bring them to the Capitol. In 2021 and again in 2025, Texas House leadership used this tactic when Democrats left the state to block redistricting bills.
• Capitol Confinement: Legislators who refuse to cooperate may be confined to the Capitol building until the vote is completed. In one recent case, Rep. Nicole Collier refused to sign a pledge to remain under police escort and was effectively detained inside the House chamber.

​

Governor’s Role​

• The governor can call unlimited special sessions, each lasting up to 30 days, and set the agenda. But the governor cannot directly force legislators to attend—only the Legislature itself can enforce attendance through its internal rules and procedures3.

So while there's no statute that says “you must show up,” the Constitution and House rules give leadership the tools to make absence very uncomfortable.​

So, it appears that the Texas legislature is well within their rights to do what they are doing. Seems to me this is a case of the Texas Democrats "F'ing Around and Finding Out".

Thank you for the information.

Democrats did not FAFO. They knew what would happen and protested anyway. They know they're going to lose this fight and fight anyway.

Some people only fight the fights they think they can win.

Some people fight the fights that need to be fought.

 

[Jay59]

There's a law she broke?

Yes.

Also her oath of office.

 

[Loulit01]

Yes.

Also her oath of office.

Okay, I've been educated.

 

[verrip1]

Oh, I'll still vote against the fascist right wing, and I'm not going anywhere. The resistance will be my new home, and when I say that, think of something like the French resistance of WWII sabotaging the eff out of them.

Well, then. I'll just keep my eye out for you in the newscasts.

 

[Questerr]

Yes.

Also her oath of office.

What law? Quote the relevant section of the Texas state criminal code.

 

[Jay59]

What law? Quote the relevant section of the Texas state criminal code.

It's not a criminal law.

Representatives can be barred from running for reelection if they have excessive absences.

There is a bill for a law that would vacate the seat for a number of consecutive unexcused absences, but that has not been passed yet.

 

[Questerr]

It's not a criminal law.

Representatives can be barred from running for reelection if they have excessive absences.

There is a bill for a law that would vacate the seat for a number of consecutive unexcused absences, but that has not been passed yet.

So they are less criminal than the President of the United States?

 

[The AntiDonald]

It's not a criminal law.

Representatives can be barred from running for reelection if they have excessive absences.

There is a bill for a law that would vacate the seat for a number of consecutive unexcused absences, but that has not been passed yet.

Well, that's fine. When the legislature has outnumbered democrats for at least 20 years, what role do they really play? In the old days, they would have debate and compromise. Not anymore. It's the GOP way, or the highway. There's really no point in them staying in their positions. They don't make any real money anyway. If the citizens in Texas are OK with the cheating, the dems can't do anything about it.

 

[PopMartian]

It's no secret Texas Republicans will do anything for Trump. Even if it means passing an unconstitutional resolution filled with racism and discrimination of blacks and latino voters.

America's First Lady

 

[Jay59]

So they are less criminal than the President of the United States?

If you believe that the prosecutions of President Trump were legitimate, I have a bridge I would like to sell you.

Well, that's fine. When the legislature has outnumbered democrats for at least 20 years, what role do they really play?

Quite a bit.

The Texas legislature has a strong Democratic contingent.

In the old days, they would have debate and compromise.

That hasn't changed.

Not anymore. It's the GOP way, or the highway.

That sounds like Washington Democrats 2021-2022.

There's really no point in them staying in their positions. They don't make any real money anyway. If the citizens in Texas are OK with the cheating, the dems can't do anything about it.

It's not cheating.

 

[Questerr]

If you believe that the prosecutions of President Trump were legitimate, I have a bridge I would like to sell you.


Quite a bit.

The Texas legislature has a strong Democratic contingent.


That hasn't changed.


That sounds like Washington Democrats 2021-2022.


It's not cheating.

They haven't been overturned, have they?

 

[PopMartian]

They haven't been overturned, have they?

Maga is incapable of seeing the whole truth. What they see is half-truths that omit the facts. Trump's felony convictions are a result of due process by the State of NY and the system of justice this Nation was founded on under the visions in the constitution. It has it's problems, but it is the best method of convicting criminals that supports law and order. However, the facts are Trump has violated the rules and refuses to admit he lied. Deny, Deny, Deny ! Repeat the same lie over and over and eventually the lie becomes the truth. Now that he is in power their is no way to stop him until the next Democratic Process we call the General Election of the Executive Officer of the United States of America. Which has been reduced to a popularity contest although the Electoral College was suppose to prevent a populous from becoming President. The system has failed to live up the morality of Conventional Wisdom.