On my radio show yesterday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott weighed in on the controversy we addressed here, blasting President Biden's outrageous and inflammatory "Jim Crow" rhetoric, and reiterated his warning to Democratic lawmakers who've fled the state that they'll be arrested and compelled to show up for work upon their return. In addition, he admonished the delinquent legislators that simply waiting for the 30-day special session to expire will not succeed as an obstructionist tactic. The moment a quorum can be secured, Abbott will convene a new special legislative session. Here's a link to the full audio, with some excerpts from the transcript below:
Texas @GovAbbott: Delinquent Dems Can’t Wait Out Special Session, Reiterates They Will Be Arrested Upon Return#FoxNewsRadio #FoxNews https://t.co/xvuleeyFwN
— The Guy Benson Show (@GuyBensonShow) July 13, 2021
On Biden's rhetoric: "This is the same president who called me a Neanderthal when I opened up Texas 100 percent eliminating the mask mandate. And all that happened after I did that so-called Neanderthal action was to have the number of cases and hospitalizations and COVID positivity rate all decline, and Texas improved dramatically after that. So, his calling names is absolutely absurd, for one. But for another, anybody who went through Jim Crow would be angry at the president of the United States equivocating what is going on in Texas with Jim Crow laws. Because that is one of the most offensive things ever. Let’s go back to what I said, Texas is increasing, not decreasing, the number of hours to vote. If you want to say Jim Crow laws exist anywhere, again, you should say that it exists in Delaware where you have zero early voting days or hours."
On arresting lawmakers upon their return to Texas: "The way that it works on the Texas Constitution is, this is in the authority of the House. And earlier today the Texas House of Representatives passed what they needed to pass, which was the authority to go out and arrest the Democrats once they arrive back in Texas. The jurisdiction exists in the state of Texas, but not outside of the state of Texas, because these are Texas law enforcement agents. But when the Democrats arrive back in Texas, they will receive a nice escort to the Capitol where they will be compelled to stay until the special session is completed."
On 'run out the clock' tactics: "If the Democrats return during the course of a special session, which lasts 30 days, then the Texas House of Representatives will be able to pass this legislation very quickly. However, what the Democrats are saying is that they will not return during the course of this called special session and that means that they will come back after the expiration of this. But the — the minute after the current special session expires, I’ll be issuing a — a new call for a new special session making them subject to arrest as soon as they arrive back into Texas, regardless of when it is."
Abbott also confirmed what we noted yesterday – namely, that the Texas Senate retains a quorum, so the upper chamber will be proceeding with legislative business while the House is unable to work. Indeed, hours later, the Senate in Austin passed the elections bill:
The Texas Senate has passed the GOP voting bill that prompted House Democrats to flee the state.
— Axios (@axios) July 14, 2021
The bill still needs to be passed by the House and will languish unless the Democrats return and the chamber reaches quorum.https://t.co/1WlZTFuPbk
Beyond that, the governor pointed out the irony of anti-filibuster Democrats cheering on these maneuvers, an irony not lost on Sen. Mitch McConnell either:
Fascinating to see U.S. Senate Democrats very interested in the legislative minority rights of Texas Senate Democrats while they keep clamoring to steamroll our own Senate rules and seize total power for themselves. pic.twitter.com/Ta7gWst6z2
— Leader McConnell (@LeaderMcConnell) July 13, 2021
And on the subject of obstructionist legislative tactics, I'll leave you with this distilled hackery, via Vox:
when Dems when Republicans
— Siraj Hashmi 6’9” IQ 420 (@SirajAHashmi) July 13, 2021
flee: flee: pic.twitter.com/0ieb22YH2X
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