this post was submitted on 05 Aug 2025
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Texas Republicans have voted to track down and arrest dozens of Democratic legislators who have fled the state to block passage of a partisan redistricting plan.

The vote passed by 85 to 6, following Republican Governor Greg Abbott's threat of bribery charges against the absent Democrats.

After the vote, the governor ordered state troopers "to locate, arrest, and return to the House chamber any member who has abandoned their duty to Texans".

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[–] ShaggySnacks@lemmy.myserv.one 5 points 2 hours ago

Texas Democrats should tell Piss Baby Abbott that they all went to Cancun cause of their families. Worked for Rafael Cruz.

[–] Tedesche@lemmy.world 19 points 6 hours ago

Hopefully, Texas police realize they’re being given an unlawful order and arrest the dickweed who issued it.

LOL. Texas police don’t have brains.

[–] Zer0_F0x@lemmy.world 21 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

Y'all are one Reichstag fire away from invading Poland

[–] Routhinator@startrek.website 9 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Hi from Canada, we're likely Poland in Nazi Boogaloo 2.

[–] Zer0_F0x@lemmy.world 7 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

All I'm saying is that Canada and Mexico are going to need to step up their border defense game, just in case

[–] Revan343@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 hour ago

That's gonna suck all around; America already does poorly with insurgencies, let's see them fight one against their closest neighbour, who speak the same language, look the same, and follow most of the same culture.

[–] Kazumara@discuss.tchncs.de 17 points 12 hours ago

Who exactly has abandoned their duty to Texas? The people eroding democracy in Texas. Abbot you fuckhead!

[–] Sam_Bass@lemmy.world 7 points 12 hours ago

Tx repugs are stupid beyond imagining

[–] DarkFuture@lemmy.world 35 points 20 hours ago (2 children)

I like it when basement dwellers say Democrats don't do anything while they're literally having arrest warrants issued for them because they're trying to prevent fascists from seizing more power.

I also like how these basement dwellers are completely unaware of any of the bills Democrats have passed that have massively helped average Americans because their goal is to whine, not educate themselves.

[–] turtlesareneat@discuss.online 8 points 5 hours ago

Passing bills is not enough. You need to “bring a knife to a knife fight” and Dems themselves say they’ve been bringing pencils up till now.

I love this new more feisty Democratic Party but it’s a new thing.

[–] TheObviousSolution@lemmy.ca 10 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

Isn't this why they left the state in the first place? I fully expect Trump to employ ICE to track them down and bring them back, though and regardless of how illegal that is.

[–] TotalCourage007@lemmy.world 7 points 19 hours ago

this just in, fascists don't like their own methods! Lmao bunch of wusses.

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 10 points 19 hours ago (1 children)
[–] figjam@midwest.social 3 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Do you think that is honestly going to stop them?

[–] IzzyJ@lemmy.world 2 points 3 hours ago

Gas chambers will be up and running before most of us even realize we're using fascism. Wish I could find like ab ubternenchen survival guide

[–] WanderWisley@lemmy.world 20 points 23 hours ago

Gregg Abbott is un-American because he refuses to stand for the national anthem. And I also hear he’s a little piss baby.

[–] Boddhisatva@lemmy.world 71 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Only four states, TX, IN, TN, and OR, have rules like this that require 2/3rds of members be present for legislation to be passed. The republicans in Oregon have done it so often that the voters passed (with 70% of the vote) a law that states that any legislator with 10 or more unexcused absences from votes cannot run for office again.

Democrats in Texas have done this to stop redistricting that could result in a fascist take over of the country. Republicans in OR have done this six times since 2019. They did it to block legislation on gun safety, reproductive health, education funding, cap and trade, COVID-19 restrictions, and once on redistricting.

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 4 hours ago

Both sides are the same though amirite

[–] Evotech@lemmy.world 3 points 12 hours ago

Does seem like a good idea that has been fully abused

[–] SlartyBartFast@sh.itjust.works 49 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Arresting political dissidents lol

[–] M0oP0o@mander.xyz 4 points 12 hours ago

Looks like the us is at that point. But I can't wait for the bunch of videos about how "this time trump is cooked/done/finished/over" or some other nonsense about how america is not actually at the place it clearly is.

[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 309 points 1 day ago (1 children)

From another article about this, oh the irony:

Texas attorney general Ken Paxton, who fled his own impeachment hearings and refused a court order to release his travel records after speaking at the rally in Washington that preceded the January 6 insurrection, has described wayward Democratic legislators as “cowards”.

[–] Tja@programming.dev 73 points 1 day ago

Voters don't care, why should they act differently?

[–] Taco2112@lemmy.world 134 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

Monday's vote was mostly symbolic, according to the Texas Tribune, as the warrants only apply within state lines. 

The move empowers the chamber's sergeant-at-arms and state troopers to arrest the absent lawmakers and deliver them to the state capitol building in Austin.

They would not face any civil or criminal charges as a result of the warrant, the newspaper reports.

So basically it’s toothless posturing and only real consequences is that they get sent to the state capitol to go back to work.

[–] GlendatheGayWitch@lemmy.world 57 points 1 day ago (6 children)

Only immediate consequences. The gerrymandering they want to pass has the potential to screw the state and country depending on how the gerrymandering works and is perceived to work. I'm afraid this may make our voting numbers go down even more.

No telling what can happen if Republicans achieve their goal of solidifying a bigger majority in the US House. We've already seen that Texans are willing to keep Cruz in the senate, rather than spend 30 minutes voting.

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[–] lectricleopard@lemmy.world 23 points 1 day ago

Well, that serves their goal at the moment. That may change. After having so easily made this posturing move, next time, they will have this language available to them, with more severe and less legal consequences.

In my head, I keep going back to that fascist guy that Medhi Hasan got sat down with. These fuckers would pick up the ball and run with it in a soccer game, chuck the ball in the goal, keep their own score and time, then jog off the field pumping up the 10% of the crowd that's on their side.

It'd be funny if they were just deluded, but they are setting it up so they can deport or arrest anyone that doesn't cheer.

[–] Dorkyd68@lemmy.world 18 points 1 day ago

This dude wants to talk about duty to Texans? Wow man

[–] boaratio@lemmy.world 4 points 21 hours ago

Eat shit, fuckers.

[–] Zachariah@lemmy.world 94 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

After the vote, the governor ordered state troopers "to locate, arrest, and return to the House chamber any member who has abandoned their duty to Texans".

So which trooper is going to be brave enough to follow the governor’s orders and arrest him?

[–] AbidanYre@lemmy.world 49 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Has Rafael fled to Cancun yet?

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 11 points 1 day ago

as the zodiac killer, he also possess the ability to shapeshift, and travel at great speeds to a tropical environment.

[–] fluxion@lemmy.world 32 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Yes arrest them for not helping subvert democracy to keep an illegitimate fascist in power. "States rights", party of "freedom", my ass. Bunch of nazi clowns.

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[–] Hobbes_Dent@lemmy.world 53 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Wow there’s no way the American people will stand for this.

lol j/k of course they will.

[–] WindyRebel@lemmy.world 4 points 23 hours ago

Is this an appropriate time to say that not even Abbott stands for it?

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[–] xc2215x@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago (1 children)

What does arresting Democrats have to due with duty to Texans ?

[–] Evotech@lemmy.world 1 points 12 hours ago

Their duty is to vote on legislation I guess

[–] mercano@lemmy.world 21 points 1 day ago (1 children)

How did they vote on this if they don’t have a quorum?

[–] IHeartBadCode@fedia.io 25 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Rule 8, Section 5.

All absentees for whom no sufficient excuse is made may, by order of a majority of those present, be sent for and arrested, wherever they may be found, by the sergeant-at-arms or an officer appointed by the sergeant-at-arms for that purpose, and their attendance shall be secured and retained.

And

Until a quorum appears, should the roll call fail to show one present, no business shall be transacted, except to compel the attendance of absent members or to adjourn. It shall not be in order to recess under a call of the house.

It does not require a quorum, it is a measure voted on by those present. This is the same thing in lots of State legislatures including the US House. There's usually a rule that allows whoever is present to be able to bring a motion to those present to force those who are not present to the floor. It's usually one of a handful of motions that don't require quorum.

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[–] Luouth@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Wouldn't it just have been easier to say - "we vote to say an absentee vote is counted as a 'for'"? No, no, they must show that they are a fascist dictatorship in the strongest way possible 'cus - 'Murica!!!

[–] Vorticity@lemmy.world 15 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The law there allows the redistricting to happen if there is a majority vote for redistricting. The law also requires at least 2/3 of members to be present to actually hold a vote. So, this is a tactic that can be used by the minority party to avoid a vote happening at all.

Its a weird law. The democrats have only taken advantage of it a few times and, so far, only for votes relating to redistricting or vote suppression. They did this twice in 2003, once in 2021, and again now. All to stop redistricting or voter suppression votes.

[–] Luouth@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Thanks for the explanation! I am watching this from an outsider's perspective across the pond, so none of it makes any sense at all. It didn't really before Trump got in and now even less so that the MAGATs seem to be exploiting every possible way to get what they want

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