Texas Republican Governor Threatened To Prosecute Democratic Lawmakers Who Fled To Block Voting Restrictions

Greg Abbott, Texas‘ Republican governor, has threatened to prosecute Democratic lawmakers who have fled the state in an attempt to prevent the change of election laws that they claim affects people of color’s right to vote.

More than 50 Democrats boarded private flights on Monday to fly to Washington, D.C., just days before the Texas House of Representatives voted on sweeping new voting restrictions in a special legislative session.

The move deprived the Republican-controlled legislature of a quorum, leaving it unable to perform business. As a result, it will be unable to vote on the bill, at least for the time being.

According to the Guardian, bringing the legislature to a standstill may give Democrats some leverage in haggling over the proposals. Walking out also sends a message to voters about how far Democrats are ready to go to prevent Republicans from making it more difficult to vote.

In response, Abbott told an Austin TV station that, if necessary, he would keep calling special sessions of the legislature and that Democrats could face.

Abbott said, “As soon as they come back in the state of Texas, they will be arrested; they will be cabined inside the Texas capitol until they get their job done.”

The cross-country exodus was the second time Democratic members have walked out on the voting reform bill, demonstrating their ardent opposition to provisions that they claim will make voting more difficult for young people, people of color, and people with disabilities.

However, unlike last month’s effort, Democrats have no obvious avenue to permanently stop the voting restrictions, as well as a slew of other divisive GOP-backed initiatives currently being debated.

The bills in Texas would make 24-hour polling places illegal, prohibit vote drop boxes from being used to deposit postal ballots, and give partisan poll watchers more influence.

The legislation is part of a Republican push across the United States to establish new voting restrictions in response to Donald Trump’s baseless allegations that the 2020 election would be rigged. More than a dozen states have approved tighter election restrictions this year, but Democrats have only fought back in Texas.