The Texas Democrats had no problem dropping some serious money to flee the Lone Star state though. They’ve already proven to be fans of theatrics so they arrived in style to D.C. flying on a private plane.
My fist meal as a fugitive.
Delicious. pic.twitter.com/97M2CmPFXO
— Gene Wu (@GeneforTexas) July 13, 2021
Texas state Rep. Trey Fischer claimed they flew on a private plane to the Nation’s Capitol because everyone “wants to see them together.” (per The Daily Wire)
“So, number one, when you break a quorum you want to be successful, so I think everybody wants to see 51, 52, 55 Democrats on the same plane. That’s reassuring,” Fischer said, explaining the decision to charter a jet. “Number two, to get a flight out of town at a time certain – you know, getting everybody to come if from across the state – you need to fly privately. And, as you can see from the picture, we’re talking about the same kind of plane that the public uses every day. There are no fancy couches or anything like that. This was just a regular plane that moved us from one state to another.”
According to The Hill, the Texas House has now voted to have law enforcement track down the Texas Democrats who fled to D.C.
The chamber voted by a 76-4 margin to authorize law enforcement to return the Democrats to Austin after they flew to Washington, D.C., to prevent the elections bill from passing in a special legislative session.
The gambit left only 80 members present in the House. Of the 67 Democrats who serve in the chamber, only 4 were present. All four voted against the “call of the House.”
“Members, the sergeant-at-arms and the officers appointed by him are directed to send for all absentees whose attendance is not excused for the purpose of securing and maintaining their attendance — under warrant of arrest, if necessary,” state House Speaker Dade Phelan (R) said after the vote.
It is not clear precisely how much power the vote has, given that Texas law enforcement lacks any jurisdiction to operate in Washington.
