*Texas Democratic lawmakers have fled the Lone Star state to try and save our democracy.
After taking two chartered planes to Washington D.C. in an effort to deny the Texas House a quorum, thereby blocking the GOP’s voting restrictions bill, House Democrats said they plan to stay out of state until the end of the special legislative session that ends Aug. 6. Their departure prevents the Legislature from turning any bills into law just days into a 30-day session that was called largely to advance GOP-backed legislation that would enact new restrictions on voting.
The Republicans’ bills, which first prompted Democrats to walk out and break quorum in late May, would ban drive-thru and 24-hour voting options, enhance access for partisan poll watchers and prohibit local election officials from proactively distributing applications to request mail-in ballots. They also include language to further restrict the state’s voting-by-mail rules, including new ID requirements for absentee voters.
At least 51 of the 67 Democratic members of the Texas House — the number needed to break quorum — fled the state Monday, most of them taking the two chartered planes that landed in D.C. around 7 p.m. Central time.
Here is footage from their press conference upon arrival Monday night in the Nation’s Capital.
The Texas Dems are scheduled to hold another presser this morning at 9:45 a.m. EST.
Watch live, below:
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