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India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Texas Democrats block Trump-backed redistricting plan by fleeing House
Texas Democrats on Monday prevented their state's House of Representatives from moving forward, at least for now, with a redrawn congressional map sought by President Donald Trump to shore up Republicans' 2026 midterm prospects as his political standing dozens of Democrats left the state, the Republican-dominated House was unable to establish the quorum of lawmakers required to do business. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has made threats about removing members of the opposition from their seats. Democrats have countered that Abbott is using 'smoke and mirrors' to assert legal authority he does not have. advertisementThe Republican-dominated House issued civil arrest warrants intended to compel the return of absent members, but it was not immediately clearly whether those could or would be enforced beyond Texas borders. 'If you continue to go down this road, there will be consequences,' House Speaker Rep. Dustin Burrows said from the chamber floor. He later told reporters that includes fines and said Abbott has offered assistance from the state Department of Public Safety to round up absent Democratic revolt and Abbott's threats ratcheted up a widening fight over congressional maps that began in Texas but expanded to include Democratic governors who have floated the possibility of rushing to redraw their own state maps in retaliation, even if their options are limited. The dispute also offers another example of Trump's aggressive view of presidential power and his grip on the Republican Party nationally, while testing the longstanding balance of powers between the federal government and individual the center of the escalating impasse is Trump's hope of adding five more GOP-leaning congressional seats in Texas before the upcoming midterms. That would bolster his party's chances of preserving its slim U.S. House majority, something Republicans were unable to do in the 2018 midterms during Trump's first presidency. Republicans currently hold 25 of Texas' 38 seats. That's nearly a 2-to-1 advantage and already a wider partisan gap than in the 2024 presidential election, when Trump won 56.1% of the vote, while Democrat Kamala Harris received 42.5%.Speaking Monday on Fox News, Abbott essentially admitted to the partisan power play, noting that the U.S. Supreme Court has determined 'there is nothing illegal' about shaping districts to a majority party's advantage. He even openly acknowledged it as 'gerrymandering' before correcting himself to say Texas is 'drawing lines.'More than 1,800 miles away from Austin, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul appeared with Texas Democrats and argued that their cause should be national.'We're not going to tolerate our democracy being stolen in a modern-day stagecoach heist by bunch of law breaking cowboys,' Hochul said Monday, flanked by several of the lawmakers who left Texas. 'If Republicans are willing to rewrite rules to give themselves an advantage, then they're leaving us with no choice: We must do the same. You have to fight fire with fire.'advertisementTEXAS DEMS SAY THEY ARE 'IN THIS FOR THE LONG HAUL TAbbott insisted ahead of Monday's scheduled session that lawmakers have 'absconded' in violation of their sworn duties to the state.'I believe they have forfeited their seats in the state Legislature because they are not doing the job they were elected to do,' he said in the Fox News interview, invoking his state's hallmark machismo to call the lawmakers 'un-Texan.''Texans don't run from a fight,' he said they had no plans to heed the governor's demands.'He has no legal mechanism,' said Texas Rep. Jolanda Jones, one of the lawmakers who was in New York on Monday. 'Subpoenas from Texas don't work in New York, so he can't come and get us. Subpoenas in Texas don't work in Chicago. ... He's putting up smoke and mirrors.'A refusal by Texas lawmakers to show up is a civil violation of legislative rules. As for his threat to remove the lawmakers, Abbott cited a nonbinding legal opinion issued by Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton amid an partisan quorum dispute in 2021. Paxton suggested a court could determine that a legislator had forfeited their who is running for U.S. Senate, said on X that Democrats who 'try and run away like cowards should be found, arrested, and brought back to the Capitol immediately.'The Republican response is accelerated compared with the 2021 dispute, when weeks passed before the GOP majority opted for civil arrest STATE OF THE VOTE The lawmakers who left declined to say how long they will hold out.'The magic of a quorum break is you never telegraph the how long or what you're going to do,' said Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, who has served in the Legislature since 2001. 'We recognized when we got on the plane that we're in this for the long haul.'Texas House Democratic Caucus leader Gene Wu said his members 'will do whatever it takes' but added, 'What that looks like, we don't know.'Legislative walkouts often only delay passage of a bill, including in 2021, when many of the same Texas House Democrats left the state for 38 days to protest new voting restrictions. Once they returned, Republicans still passed that cannot pass bills in the 150-member Texas House without at least two-thirds of them present. Democrats hold 62 of the seats in the majority-Republican chamber, and at least 51 left the state, said Josh Rush Nisenson, spokesperson for the House Democratic Texas Supreme Court held in 2021 that House leaders had the authority to 'physically compel the attendance' of missing members, but no Democrats were forcibly brought back to the state after warrants were served. Republicans answered by adopting $500 daily fines for lawmakers who don't show up for work as governor, meanwhile, continues to make unsubstantiated claims that some lawmakers have committed felonies by soliciting money to pay for fines they could face for leaving the state to deny a aid and presidential politics are part of the argumentThe lack of a quorum will delay votes on disaster assistance and new warning systems in the wake of last month's catastrophic floods in Texas that killed at least 136 people. Democrats had called for votes on the flooding response before taking up redistricting and have criticized Republicans for not doing Fox, Abbott attempted to turn that issue back on Democrats, suggesting their efforts to break a quorum would become the reason for a delayed flood Texas, some Democrats want to leverage the Gov. JB Pritzker, a potential 2028 presidential contender and outspoken Trump critic, welcomed Texas Democrats to Chicago on Sunday after having been in quiet talks with them for weeks. Pritzker and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, another potential 2028 contender, held public events about the Texas fight before the quorum break.'This is not just rigging the system in Texas,' Pritzker said Sunday night. 'It's about rigging the system against the rights of all Americans for years to come.'The Texas House is scheduled to convene again Tuesday afternoon.- Ends
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
GOP's House map overhaul: Texas governer Greg Abbott orders arrest of Democratic lawmakers who fled state; session remains halted
Texas Republican governor Greg Abbott (Image credits: AP) Texas Republican governor Greg Abbott on Monday ordered state authorities to arrest dozens of Democratic lawmakers who fled to Illinois in an effort to block a Republican-led congressional redistricting vote, intensifying a political standoff that has brought the legislative session to a halt. 'To ensure compliance, I ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to locate, arrest, and return to the House chamber any member who has abandoned their duty to Texans,' Abbott said. 'This order will remain in effect until all missing Democrat House members are accounted for and brought to the Texas Capitol,' he added as quoted by The New York Post. — GregAbbott_TX (@GregAbbott_TX) The walkout by 51 House Democrats prevented the Texas legislature from reaching the two-thirds quorum required for a vote, stalling a special legislative session called by Abbott. The session was aimed at advancing redistricting plans, providing disaster relief for recent Texas floods, and banning THC, the main psychoactive compound in marijuana. 'Texas House Democrats abandoned their duty to Texans,' Abbott said in a statement. 'By fleeing the state, Texas House Democrats are holding hostage critical legislation to aid flood victims and advance property tax relief. There are consequences for dereliction of duty.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Barranqueras: Unsold Sofas Prices May Surprise You (Prices May Surprise You) Sofas | Search Ads Search Now Undo The Texas house ofrepresentatives voted 85-6 on Monday to approve a motion calling for the Democrats to return. House Speaker Dustin Burrows then directed the chamber's sergeant at arms 'to send for all absentees … under warrant of arrest, if necessary.' Most of the absent lawmakers traveled to Illinois, where dozens joined Democratic Governor JB Pritzker on Sunday night at the DuPage County Democratic Party headquarters. Roughly half a dozen other Democrats joined New York Governor Kathy Hochul in Albany on Monday. 'If that's what's called for, that's what's called for,' Hochul said of the decision to leave Austin. She went on to call Abbott 'un-American' and accused him of 'rigging' the next congressional election for the GOP, reported The New York Post. 'To subvert the will of the people, they're hellbent on rigging the system. Rigging the system is un-American. Congressional districts are never drawn mid-decade,' she argued. The redistricting proposal, supported by President Trump, could net Republicans up to five additional seats in the US house of representatives—potentially expanding the GOP's narrow majority in the 2026 midterm elections.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
UFC legend Conor McGregor enters Ireland presidential race with strong message to the public
UFC legend Conor McGregor enters Ireland presidential race with strong message to the public (Image Via Google) Conor McGregor wants to swap the UFC cage for Ireland's highest office. On Monday, August 4, 2025, the MMA superstar announced he's aiming to run for President of Ireland. He is asking regular people to help him get there rather than using political means. Conor McGregor posted an online petition and sought public backing, claiming that the existing regulations make it too challenging for everyday voices to be heard. His surprise move is already getting attention across Ireland and beyond. Conor McGregor enters presidential race with petition push On August 4, Conor McGregor wrote online, 'I, Conor McGregor hereby declare my intention to seek the esteemed office of President of Ireland.' Under the present legislation, he said, a person needs either four county councils or assistance from twenty Irish Parliament (Oireachtas) members. He is not permitted to formally run without this assistance. Conor McGregor called this law unfair. He said it blocks normal people from trying to run for high office. In his words, the rule is 'a significant barrier to democratic participation.' To fight this, Conor McGregor launched a petition on titled 'Let the People Decide.' He asked people living in Ireland and Irish people abroad to sign and support him. His goal is to get enough attention to force a change in how candidates are selected. Also Read: Ben Shelton Shares Sweet Family Moment As His Father Tunes In For Trinity Rodman's Return To Washington Spirit Conor McGregor calls for public power in Ireland election Conor McGregor made it clear that he is not waiting for help from government leaders. He said he believes regular people should choose who can run, not just elected officials. He asked everyone to support him, saying, 'The citizens of Ireland, both at home and abroad, should have the unhindered right to determine the candidates.' The petition quickly started gaining signatures. Within hours of posting, thousands of people had already signed it. Conor McGregor's post went live on Monday, and it's clear he's counting on the public, not politics, to back his campaign. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
