Texas governor warns reps fleeing to block redistricting

Democratic state representatives risk losing their seats if they fail to attend the Texas House’s special session Monday afternoon, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said. The governor announced the deadline on Sunday after many Democratic House members fled the state to block Republicans’ mid-decade redistricting plan. Without a sufficient quorum of members, the legislative body can’t convene. Texas regulations allow district courts to declare legislators’ seats vacant if they intentionally abandon their offices, Abbott said. He would seek such orders for any representatives who didn’t return by the Monday deadline, he said.

Abbott also warned that absentee Democrats may commit felonies for fundraising to pay fines for their absence. House rules impose a fine of $500 per day for members who leave the state to block legislation. Abbott would extradite any potential out-of-state felons to Texas to face trial, he said. People who contribute funds to the absentees could also be guilty of felonies, he said.

Why are Democratic representatives so concerned about redistricting? President Donald Trump reportedly told Republican U.S. representatives from Texas several weeks ago that he was pushing Texas Republicans to redraw House congressional districts to create more Republican seats. He believed Republicans could gain five winnable seats under the new plan, according to the Associated Press. The story was first reported by Punchbowl News.

Thousands of Texans testified against the plan, Democratic Rep. Chris Turner said on Sunday. Gene Wu, the Texas House minority leader and a member of the redistricting committee, on Sunday said the new map was racist. It divided minority communities to diffuse their votes, he said. Wu also accused Republicans of delaying flood relief measures during the special session to focus on redistricting. Republican representatives denied that charge and said the Democrats’ actions also blocked flood relief.

Where did the absent legislators go? About 17 representatives gathered in Chicago, where they were welcomed by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. Other delegations arrived in Albany, N.Y. and Boston, according to Turner. They did not plan to return for the session, he said.