Texas House seeks arrest of truant Democrats

[tncorgi]

By April Castro

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Monday, May 12, 2003

http://www.statesman.com/hp/content/coxnet/texas/legislature/0503/0512quorum_hatch.html

They met surreptitiously, at a designated site, not knowing where they were going or how they would get there.

Broken up into several cells, only the team leaders of these 53 rebel Democrats were to know the details of their planned excursion. They were told to pack enough clothes and necessities to last four days. Most anticipated fleeing the state.

The only communication was supposed to be among members of their small groups.

On Sunday night, aware that they could face arrest, some boarded a bus and took off, leaving a contentious battle over congressional redistricting behind.

"I don't know where we're going. I don't know how we're going to get there," one Democratic lawmaker told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity as he packed before the 6 p.m. Sunday rendezvous. Other legislators contacted by the AP that evening would not confirm the plan.

Worried that state authorities could track them down and bring them back to the Capitol before they could disappear, they were determined that the Republican House leadership would not discover their covert plans.

So, they shrouded their plot in secrecy. Only a carefully chosen few were apprised of their itinerary. In an attempt to create a diversion, misleading plots were purposely planted with Republican House Speaker Tom Craddick, a legislator said.

One source told the AP that they were discussing giving up their cell phones to prevent a mole from divulging their location and to avoid being traced. By Monday afternoon, at least three lawmakers still had their cell phones.

They left in their path a swath of doomed legislation, angry Republicans and a series of letters explaining their actions.

Not even some staff members of these lawmakers knew about their plans, until the letters were found Monday morning.

Tamara Bell, chief of staff for Rep. Jim Dunnam of Waco, was caught unaware of the plan when called by The Associated Press Sunday evening. Dunnam, leader of the House Democratic Caucus, appeared to be commander of the group.

But on Monday, just before the House was scheduled to convene at 10 a.m., it was Bell who made the official announcement based on a statement left by Dunnam that enough members had fled to bust a House quorum, which is necessary to do business.

"I spoke to him by cell phone. I don't know where they are, I don't know anything except the statement I was given," Bell said.

With just four days remaining until the House deadline to hear bills, redistricting won't be the only piece of legislation that will be stymied by their furtive getaway.

The necessary quorum to avoid passage of legislation to redraw Texas' congressional districts was broken. The remaining lawmakers were locked in the House chamber and a call was put out for Department of Public Safety officials to find the missing Democrats and bring them back to the Capitol.

But the group appeared ready to face that risk. One legislator who did not want to be identified said his only worry was an opponent using an arrest against him in a campaign.

"But, it's the right thing to do," he said.


STORIES>>>

May 12, 2003 | AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- State troopers and the elite Texas Rangers were ordered to track down and bring in 59 Democratic lawmakers who brought the Texas House to a standstill Monday by going into hiding.

The quorum-busting boycott capped months of tension between Democrats and the newly-in-control Republicans, and occurred as the chamber was scheduled to debate a congressional redistricting plan opposed by Democrats.

http://www.salon.com/news/wire/2003/05/12/texas/index.html

http://www.statesman.com/hp/content/coxnet/texas/legislature/0503/0512quorum_congress.html

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/

Can't wait to see what Molly Ivins says about this...

[bluenude3]

i actually live in austin & called my reps to tell their offices that they have my full support. The fact that our house is wasting time w/ redistricting instead of our budget deficit or schools is just ridiculous. Ride on sweet donkeys... ride on.

Simone

[moviemave]

whooooo go cowboys

[iwannawin]

:cheer:

[tennmaw]

So the minority tries to rule by obstruction again.:nay: :nay: :nay:

[blondie]

Can't wait to see if they turn in expense reports for this "trip".

[moviemave]

Don't trust any party in Texas. During 1st Clinton campaign Bush's people planted anonymous ads in the hispanic papers in the valley stating that if they wanted to stay citizens rmember - the government pays attention to how you vote...

Jesse Jackson caught wind of it and went down there to march the hispanic community to the polls telling them to vote however they wanted - the ads were false and they wouldn't be harmed.

Story only got a mention int he texas papers...

[tncorgi]

...Dunnam also criticized Craddick and Republican Gov. Rick Perry for dispatching troopers with the Texas Department of Public Safety to try and find and return the legislators to Austin.

"It is cowardly to send Texas troopers across state lines after midnight to try and coerce and threaten members of the Texas Legislature to go back. And it is cowardly … (that) our loved ones and our wives are still being followed by DPS troopers," Dunnam said, noting that he does not blame the troopers, who are simply following orders.

The protesting Democratic legislators do blame U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, a Texas Republican, for forcing the issue of redistricting as a way to give the state GOP an advantage in Congress.

But DeLay, speaking to reporters in Washington on Tuesday, said the "Democrats on the lam" just need to get back to work.

...The Texas lawmakers have, for the most part, received a warm reception in Ardmore and its surrounding areas, where Democrats are in the majority. They have received fruit baskets, bundles of balloons and supportive e-mail messages from well-wishers.

The legislators have also been invited to the state Capitol in Oklahoma City by Gov. Brad Henry, a Democrat, and members of that state's Legislature. Late Tuesday, the group was discussing whether to accept the invitation.

http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/news/5854220.htm

[itsknotsew]

That story about planted ads depends on whether or not you believed the Clinton/Jackson groups! It all comes down to which side you're on. I find generally Democrats do not criticize the action of Democrats and Republicans for the most part do not criticize Republicans.

[garbanzobean]

:yay:

I agree Sherrill.

[Rapunzel676]

I don't believe anyone, generally. :laugh2:

[garbanzobean]

Well, keeps it interesting over here anyhow...:bwhip:

[saxxygal]

I have to say thanks to the Dems in Texas for giving millions of us Americans a good laugh.
:laugh:

This has got to be one of kookiest stories I've ever come across.
My theory is that these guys really just ran off to join the circus.
Circus Vargas is paying big bucks for good clowns and hell, they
won't even have to audition after this goofy performance.

How much tax money are these bozos using to run away from home?? Really unbelievable... grown men and women??

[Rapunzel676]

How are they wasting tax dollars by staying home? There's a reason why the founders incorporated quorums into the Constitution. It's a perfectly legal way to block undesirable legislation, just like the filibustering Republican Strom Thurmond did in the U.S. Senate during the 1960s in a failed effort to block civil rights legislation.

[labgirl]

it is very funny :D

However I understand that some of the proposed new districts link areas hundreds of miles away with a ~ 2 block wide ribbon of land. Seems kinda wrong:(

[Rapunzel676]

Good point, Labgirl. :yesyes:

[saxxygal]

Rapunzal-

Quorums weren't created to protect deliberate absentees, but to protect those who intend to vote but might otherwise be unfairly excluded. I'm sure the law that makes what the Democrats did illegal probably wasn't written by Republicans. I guess the Democrats feel that the laws they write apply to everyone but them?

How are they wasting tax dollars by staying home?

Oh, do the Texas Democrats all live at the Holiday Inn in Ardmore, Oklahoma? I learn something new everyday.
:laugh:

[cowleyh]

saxxy, you crack me up. yeah, they live in ardmore and somewhere in new mexico. nice...

i do believe these guys are just sore because they lost the majority after 130 years. suck it up, guys. redistricting happens all over the country, all the time.

[moviemave]

Originally posted by labgirl
it is very funny :D

However I understand that some of the proposed new districts link areas hundreds of miles away with a ~ 2 block wide ribbon of land. Seems kinda wrong:(

I agree lab. Does seem "intentional" and a bit meanspritited.

[moviemave]

Originally posted by itsknotsew
That story about planted ads depends on whether or not you believed the Clinton/Jackson groups! It all comes down to which side you're on. I find generally Democrats do not criticize the action of Democrats and Republicans for the most part do not criticize Republicans.

True - but my parents lived in Texas at the time and sent me the article. Unfortunately, all my things are locked up in storage right now - this was an independent reporter.

[Sweepslover]

I love it, I just love it. So funny and so great! I hope they achieve the objective of blocking the stupid legislation when they should be concentrating on better items like the deficit or education. We know where the Republican's priorities are!

I missed you all,
Heidi

I'm still on vacation but will be back perminantly next week. Take care everyone!

[tncorgi]

According to a news story on NPR, the new map out of Washington really does raise some concerns/issues. It is not the one from the court but from the folks up in Washington...


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


...Democrats charge that Republicans are using their new political power to muscle through their lopsided congressional redistricting plan, thereby defying the 2002 election outcome and forcing other legislative priorities to the background.

“I applaud the brave Texas patriots who have drawn a line in the sand and insisted that the state House address real concerns like education and health care,” said Frost in a statement Tuesday. “I hope the Republicans will send Tom DeLay’s political agenda back to Washington, so they can get to work on the people’s business.”

While the Democratic no-show was not expected, a bitter fight over the high-stakes redistricting effort was.

Following the 2000 census, the Texas legislature failed to reach agreement on new boundaries for congressional districts. The matter was referred to a special three-judge panel, which created two new Hispanic seats but otherwise left the 1990 map largely untouched.

Republicans claim the court-drawn map fails to take into account the state’s changing politics and demographics over the last decade. Where once a Democratic governor ruled in tandem with a Democratic-controlled legislature, the state is now dominated by Republicans, with deep pockets of Hispanics.

“Had we not had two new districts, we probably would have the same map today as we did last decade,” said Susan Weddington, chair of the Republican Party in Texas.
But that dominance does not extend to the state’s congressional delegation, where Democrats hold 17 of 32 House seats.

If the redistricting bill presently under consideration in the Texas House is enacted, that ratio will likely change. Mindful of running afoul of the 1964 Voting Rights Act, Republicans have carefully targeted those seats held by white Democrats. By siphoning dutiful Democratic voters from these districts and sequestering them in districts where their impact will be negligible, the GOP expects to claim as many as 22 of the delegation’s 32 congressional seats.

At the same time, Republicans will create two new minority seats that will likely elect Democrats to Congress. This not only inures them further from accusations that they will have violated minority voting rights, but helps to overcome an important tactical hurdle, too: Ensuring passage in the Texas Senate.

While passage of redistricting legislation in the state House is all but guaranteed, its fate in the state Senate is less certain. A long-honored parliamentary procedure in that chamber ensures that no bill may be considered without the consent of 21, or two-thirds, of state senators. After that, a simple majority is needed to pass legislation.

With a 19-12 majority in the state senate, a unified Republican caucus falls two votes short of meeting that 21-vote goal. One Democrat, Sen. Kenneth Armbrister, said on Friday that he will vote to consider redistricting legislation.

In their search for the 21st vote, Republicans have focused on Sen. Eddie Lucio, a Democrat and Hispanic from south Texas. Although Lucio publicly remains against any new consideration of redistricting, the GOP views him as someone they can win over to their side — particularly if one of the state’s new Hispanic districts is tailored for him to win.

House Democrats are determined to wait out the next few days until the deadline for referring the redistricting matter to the Senate passes.

But GOP leaders are determined to press for new lines, and Perry will likely list it among the duties the legislature must tackle if — or when — he calls for a special session.

Meanwhile, despite its parliamentary legality, the Democrats’ flight leaves them open to a withering Republican attack of cowardice. “You don’t run and flee in Texas,” said Weddington, “you stand and fight. You may be able to do that from California, but not from Texas.”

[iwannawin]

Welcome back Heidi!

I'm with labgirl, too. The Republicans in Texas need to be told "NO" when they're doing something wrong. :toss:

[Rapunzel676]

"Filibuster: Informal term for any attempt to block or delay Senate action on a bill or other matter by debating it at length, by offering numerous procedural motions, or by any other delaying or obstructive actions."
--U.S. Senate web site

I don't remember hearing anything about why quorums were created in any of my political science classes, except to keep a minority from meeting and deciding something without the consent of the majority. IMO, this is just a type of filibuster.

By the way, the Constitution says nothing about districting. From the www.usconstitutionnet website:

"Congressional Districts divide almost every state in the United States into two or more chunks; each district should be roughly equal throughout the entire country. Each district elects one Representative to the House of Representatives. The number of districts in each state is determined by the decennial census, as mandated by the Constitution. But districts are not mentioned in the Constitution. The United States Code acknowledges districting, but leaves the "how's" to the states (gerrymandering, however, is unconstitutional [as seen in Davis v Bandemer, 478 U.S. 109, though, the intent of gerrymandering is difficult to prove])."

Neither, for that matter, is the Electoral College:

"The concept of presidential electors is certainly in the Constitution, but never is the group of people collectively referred to as 'The Electoral College.' Article 1, Section 2 speaks of 'Electors,' as do several of the Amendments, but never the college itself. The term comes from common usage in the early 1800's, in the same way that the "College of Cardinals" elects a pope, and is based on the Latin word collegium, which simply refers to a body of people acting as a unit. The "College of Electors" is now used in U.S. law, at 3 USC 4."

Or the Executive Privilege:

"Nixon asserted that the Constitution granted him the absolute right of executive privilege, or the ability to withhold information from the press, the public, the Congress, and even the courts. The Supreme Court disagreed, though it did recognize a limited degree of privilege. Those limits have to do with military or diplomatic secrets - but even then, the information in question could be reviewed for relevancy. (See 418 U.S. 683 (1974)) Some argue that executive privilege is a myth; it certainly is not codified in the Constitution. The truth is likely that though there is no specific mention of privilege in the Constitution, the Framers would have been comfortable with the definition the Court has set down."

[MrDave]

Coming from Colorado - where the Republicans did the same thing on orders from Washington - I have to say I appreciate what the Democrats did. There really should be a fairer way to redistrict. I don't know the history of this, but the efforts here and in Texas are so politically biased that I just don't understand it.

Anyhow, I also like the story just because it makes politics here a bit more interesting. I thought it was a clever ploy. It doesn't quite compete with the British, but at least there is some personality to it.

[MrDave]

http://comedycentral.com/mp/play.php?player=realplayer&type=v&quality=high&reposid=51202312

[MrDave]

OK - one more - was interesting:

Administration/Texas Rangers used homeland security equipment to track the fleeing democrats??

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030515-053907-2063r


Probe asked of Homeland
By Nicholas M. Horrock
UPI Chief White House Correspondent
From the Washington Politics & Policy Desk
Published 5/15/2003 6:11 PM
View printer-friendly version


WASHINGTON, May 15 (UPI) -- The ranking Democratic member of the House Joint Committee on Homeland Security said Thursday the inspector general at Homeland Security Department should investigate whether the agency used federal resources to track a private plane in the Texas legislative standoff.

On Wednesday, the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram reported that the Air and Marine Interdiction Coordination Center, which coordinates aerial anti-terrorism radar and detection sites across the country, was used to discover that Democratic Texas legislators were in Ardmore, Okla.

"I am very concerned that federal resources intended to protect homeland security may have been used to track law-abiding individuals who posed no security threat," Rep. Jim Turner, D-Texas, wrote in a letter to Homeland Secretary Tom Ridge Thursday.

"If federal resources were indeed used for this purpose, it appears that federal laws or departmental policies may have been violated, and an investigation by the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security should be initiated forthwith," the letter said.

He asked Ridge to provide him the names of the people requested the search for the aircraft and who authorized the mission, and tapes of recordings allegedly made of the request. According to Turner the aircraft in question belonged to former Texas House Speaker Pete Laney, who Turner said was a veteran Texas legislator with a record for public service.

Turner used a portion of a public hearing on Homeland Security bio-terrorism plans to make public his letter.

The members of the Texas state Legislature went to Oklahoma to avoid being detained by Texas law enforcement officials and forced to attend a meeting of the Legislature where a controversial gerrymandering bill is under consideration. Turner said that Laney was a close friend of President George W. Bush and had introduced Bush's address when the president's victory was confirmed.

The coordination center was one of the facilities brought into Homeland Security last year to track dangerous aircraft that might have hostile intent. It can gather data from military and civilian surveillance agencies.

Copyright © 2001-2003 United Press International

[tncorgi]

thanks...Jon Stewart rocks...

of course Molly Ivins the Queen & her words of wisdom...


Putting the Legislature out of our misery

Molly Ivins COMMENTARY

http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/columnists/molly_ivins/5866949.htm


They just went too far, that's all. This legislative session has been as brutal, callous and indifferent to the welfare of the weakest, frailest, youngest and oldest Texans as it is possible to get. The level of pure meanness is just stunning. They have just gone too far.

The session was pretty well summed up by Rep. Senfronia Thompson when she illustrated what was going on by taking the House rulebook to the podium with her and dropping it on the floor. There is no rule of procedure, fairness, common sense or decency that has been observed by the Republican majority in the Texas House.

In case you hadn't noticed, every major newspaper in this state has criticized the plans and performance of the Legislature this session, often in harsh language. Those wild-eyed radicals at The Dallas Morning News and the Houston Chronicle are just disgusted with the tacky display that these people have been putting on.

There is no excuse for this, and blaming it on the budget shortfall will not wash. We all knew going in that some terribly hard choices would have to be made, but what in the name of heaven was the governor thinking when he had handicapped people arrested?

These were citizens who came to their capital to protest budget cuts affecting them, and they get arrested. Maybe it was because they were in wheelchairs -- don't even have to be hauled away. They can just be rolled away.

Most of us thought it was pretty funny when Rep. Debbie Riddle popped out with her now-classic statement: "Where did this idea come from that everybody deserves free education, free medical care, free whatever? It comes from Moscow, from Russia. It comes straight out of the pit of hell."

Amusing as that was, the House has been doing its dead-level best to destroy both public education and public health.

They've taken 250,000 poor children off the Children's Health Insurance Program, and the schools are in dire straits. As the Austin American-Statesman pointed out in an editorial, these same fine thinkers did manage to find $10 million to appropriate for cow research and $300 million for Gov. Rick Perry to woo companies to Texas.

Of course, there have been some lovely moments we can celebrate, like the day that House Speaker Tom Craddick decided that the new ethics reform law should be debated in a back-room, closed-door session. Amazingly enough, the proposed ethics law was weakened and watered down behind the closed doors!

I think a special salute for clear thinking should go to the House for its amazing decision to cut the program that pays for medications for mentally ill people who are out of prison on probation or parole. Is this brilliant? Now these people will be wandering around the state without their meds.

The latest flap over a congressional redistricting map was the proverbial last straw for the Democrats, more than 50 of whom left the state or went into hiding Sunday to break the quorum, thus bringing legislative business to a halt.

Believe me, stopping the Legislature from functioning at this point is high public service.

Craddick called it a "stunt." The R's have been pulling stunts every day of this session, and they don't write it off as payback for heavy-handed Democratic rule. Speaker Pete Laney ran a fair House, and everyone knew it.

The way things got to such a sorry pass is that the R's have been running on rote, lock-step voting.

No Democratic amendment gets considered on its merits, no matter how sensible it is. Shell bills get introduced, and then whole sections are amended on the floor, in a parody of legislative process.

The creepy thing about the far-right Republicans, who are definitely in the majority in the House, is not that they are dismantling government because they won't raise taxes -- they're dismantling government because they think it shouldn't help people. They really think that health and human services should not be provided.

It's an old line among liberals that anti-choice people care more about the unborn than they do about the born, but I'm telling you that it's not just some clever line -- these people are writing it into the state budget.

[Rapunzel676]

GO MOLLY!!!!
:cheer: :yesyes: :cheer: :yesyes: :cheer:

[iwannawin]

I think that Molly Ivins should run for president, but I don't think that she'd have much of a chance. Most of the people in this country don't want to hear the truth. :(

[Mary Beth]

I'd vote for Molly Ivins for Pesident. She makes sense.

Mary Beth

[Mary Beth]

Here's an update on the Texas Legislature.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-05-15-texas-lawmakers_x.htm

In case you don't want to go read it, it mentions that Willie Nelson sent the Democratic legislators a case of whiskey and some of his famous bandannas were seen on legislators from East Texas, where they don't drink. They were gettin' flowers and cookies and balloons and barbecue!

But here is also the answer to another accusation:

"The Texas legislators insisted their week here has been no vacation. They plan to refuse their salaries and their $125 per diems for the days away from Austin. They plan to pay their own hotel bill (they bunked two to a room) and for the two buses that brought them here. Texas legislators earn $7,200 a year."

Just so you'd know.

Mary Beth

[moviemave]

Molly rocks!

[Ohtiger]

Stupid politics. You need to be fair, however, these stupid tactics happen just as often with republicans as democrats. I just can't for the life of me understand why whey don't have 4 or 5 parties, and for sure mandatory term limits all the way from state representatives to President.

[praiseJesus]

I think what the Democrats have done is truly sad. They are wasting our time and money as well as making a mockery of the system that they are supposed to be serving. They have dishonored our state and its people.
Between that and the deaths of all of those illegal immigrants in the tractor trailer (the seven year old absolutely broke heart), it is solemn time here.

[iwannawin]

I hope nobody tries to boycott Willie Nelson's music!

Long-haired hippie muckraker! :grin3:

[praiseJesus]

I think Willie will be okay. He pretty much transcends party lines.

[BJo]

Actually the Democrats saved the state money. Redistricting would have run at least 1.5 million. We don't have the money to provide the services we need and then they try to ram this ridiculous piece of garbage down our throats. Proud to be a yellow dog Texas Democrat.

[moviemave]

Originally posted by Ohtiger
Stupid politics. You need to be fair, however, these stupid tactics happen just as often with republicans as democrats. I just can't for the life of me understand why whey don't have 4 or 5 parties, and for sure mandatory term limits all the way from state representatives to President.

We have term limits:

STATES WITH TERM LIMITS:
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Florida
Maine
Michigan
Missouri
Montana
Ohio
Oregon
South Dakota

[praiseJesus]

I am surprised how many people find this whole situation amusing. The representatives that are hiding out should be barred from returning. Not only are they dishonorable, they are immature - if they can't have their way, they won't show up at all.
I noticed a comment about the far right Republicans not wanting to help people. A recent study showed that Republicans donate a significantly larger percentage of their own money to charitable organizations than Democrats. Democrats are much handier at giving away taxpayer money. No one wants the truly needy or children or the elderly to do without, but there are many ways to accomplish this. The answer to every problem is not more government funding.

[Katie Scarlet]

This thread has gone way off topic. Thanks to all that participated.


Katie :)