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Texas Democrats continue to deny Republicans a quorum, putting redistricting on hold.
The lower chamber tried once again on Tuesday morning to get that quorum and move forward with re-drawing the Congressional maps in the state. However, the House Dems, led by Houston representative Gene Wu, continue to stay away.
Meantime, House Speaker Dustin Burrows says that the House will convene again on Friday, saying if there is no quorum then, the chambers will sine die and Governor Greg Abbott will call an immediate second special session.
Governor Abbott issued a statement following Burrows' speech on the floor.
"With the Texas House and Senate today announcing they are prepared to sine die on Friday, I will call the Texas Legislature back immediately for Special Session #2," said Governor Abbott. "The Special Session #2 agenda will have the exact same agenda, with the potential to add more items critical to Texans. There will be no reprieve for the derelict Democrats who fled the state and abandoned their duty to the people who elected them. I will continue to call special session after special session until we get this Texas first agenda passed."
However, one Republican says all of this isn't enough. State Representative Brian Harrison took to X to blast leadership for not taking substantive action against the Democrats. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton addressed that on Houston's Morning News. Listen to the interview below.
Paxton has also moved to hold Robert Francis O'Rourke in contempt of court following his continued attempts to fundraise for the truant Democrats. Paxton is alleging that O'Rourke blatantly violated a Tarrant County restraining order blocking him from fundraising for the Democrats.
Paxton said in a statement from his office that, "Beto told me ‘to come and take,’ so I did and beat him in court. Now, he still thinks he’s above the law, so I’m working to put him behind bars.”