Gov. Greg Abbott issues scathing response to Texas Dems dramatic block on voting bills
Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas Democrats are inflicting “harm” by fleeing the state and breaking quorum to block restrictive voting legislation, House Bill 3 and Senate Bill 1.
On Monday, July 12, Texas Democrats left the state in an attempt to fight back against Republican-backed voting bills during a special session called by Abbott after Democrats walked out of the spring legislative session to avoid voting on the same bills.
In a statement from the Texas House Caucus Chair Chris Tuber and other leaders, the officials confirmed the walkout, writing they will stand against the “continued attacks on Texas’ freedom to vote.” Both bills would add new identification requirements for mail-in voting, ban or restrict many early voting options, and create new criminal penalties for breaking the election code while empowering partisan poll watchers.
RELATED: Texas Democrats plan to leave state to stop GOP voting bill
In a statement released shortly after, Abbott punched back. “Texas Democrats’ decision to break a quorum of the Texas Legislature and abandon the Texas State Capitol inflicts harm on the very Texans who elected them to serve,” he says in the release. “As they fly across the country on cushy private planes, they leave undone issues that can help their districts and our state.”
“The Democrats must put aside partisan political games and get back to the job they were elected to do,” he continues. “Their constituents must not be denied these important resources simply because their elected representative refused to show up to work.”
The walkout even drew comment from Vice President Kamala Harris. According to Bloomberg White House reporter Mario Parker, Harris began an event in Detroit today by saying the Texas Democrats are showing “extraordinary courage and commitment.”
Scroll below to reactions from leaders like Beto O’Rourke and Dade Phelan:
