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ificandream

(11,360 posts)
Tue Aug 19, 2025, 05:45 PM Aug 19

Some Texas Democrats to rip up agreements to leave House floor under police escort and return to chamber in protest

Source: CNN

Several Texas state House Democrats plan to rip up the written agreements that allowed them to leave the chamber with a police escort on Monday and return to the House floor Tuesday night, the caucus announced.

The lawmakers plan to spend the night on the House floor with state Rep. Nicole Collier, who has stayed in the House chamber for over 24 hours after declining to sign the “permission slip” to leave.

“Without permission to leave, they will join Representative Nicole Collier on the House floor overnight ahead of tomorrow’s vote on Trump and Abbott’s racist redistricting maps that threaten to divide Texas communities and strip representation from historically-united Texas neighborhoods,” the announcement read.

House Republicans announced the requirement on Monday when Democrats, who faced civil arrest warrants for leaving the state during a special session, returned from their 15-day quorum break.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/19/politics/texas-democrats-protest?iid=cnn_buildContentRecirc_end_recirc&recs_exp=up-next-article-end&tenant_id=related.en

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Some Texas Democrats to rip up agreements to leave House floor under police escort and return to chamber in protest (Original Post) ificandream Aug 19 OP
THAT is what all of them need to do. bluestarone Aug 19 #1
And they should LIVE STREAM the whole damned thing! slightlv Aug 19 #11
NONE of them should have signed such an 'agreement'. People need to stop giving up rights just because GOP says to. Attilatheblond Aug 19 #2
This Hieronymus Phact Aug 20 #12
The people who signed those agreements should have people with motor homes rzemanfl Aug 19 #3
I thought documents signed under duress... WestMichRad Aug 19 #4
They are - but the standard for duress is a much higher bar than that FBaggins Aug 19 #6
Thank you WestMichRad Aug 19 #10
Under what authority are they kept from moving about, freely. Buddyzbuddy Aug 19 #5
The constitution of the state of TX FBaggins Aug 19 #7
I think their Federal Civil Rights, trumps(no pun intended) the Texas constitution. Buddyzbuddy Aug 19 #8
They do not FBaggins Aug 19 #9

Attilatheblond

(7,256 posts)
2. NONE of them should have signed such an 'agreement'. People need to stop giving up rights just because GOP says to.
Tue Aug 19, 2025, 05:52 PM
Aug 19

DO NOT CAPITULATE! Let Abbot try to hold them captive. There are laws against unlawful restraining people. One might assume even Texas has laws.

rzemanfl

(30,793 posts)
3. The people who signed those agreements should have people with motor homes
Tue Aug 19, 2025, 06:09 PM
Aug 19

drive them around 24 hours a day.

FBaggins

(28,430 posts)
6. They are - but the standard for duress is a much higher bar than that
Tue Aug 19, 2025, 06:53 PM
Aug 19

As an example - many states allow you to sign a speeding ticket as a promise to show up in court (unless you want to plead guilty and just pay the ticket). Doing so is entirely voluntary... but you are signing "in lieu of arrest" - so if you don't sign they're going to take you to jail. You can't then sign but claim that it's invalid because you were under duress.

If the cop pulled a taser and said you had to sign that would be duress.

In this case they have the power to lock all of the recently-absent legislators up and hold them until the votes are completed. It's a ridiculous abuse of power, but it doesn't constitute duress to offer an alternative.

WestMichRad

(2,609 posts)
10. Thank you
Tue Aug 19, 2025, 08:54 PM
Aug 19

… for the explanations here and for buddyz. Appreciate you sharing your insights.

Buddyzbuddy

(1,455 posts)
5. Under what authority are they kept from moving about, freely.
Tue Aug 19, 2025, 06:53 PM
Aug 19

Sounds like Ghislane Maxwell has more freedom to come and go as she pleases.

FBaggins

(28,430 posts)
7. The constitution of the state of TX
Tue Aug 19, 2025, 06:54 PM
Aug 19

Article 3 Section 10.

This was litigated just four years ago

(W)e conclude that the disputed provision means just what it says. The Texas Constitution empowers the House to “compel the attendance of absent members” and authorizes the House to do so “in such manner and under such penalties as [the] House may provide.” The text of article III, section 10 is clear, and the uniform understanding of the provision throughout our state’s history—including around the time of its enactment—has been that it confers on the legislature the power to physically compel the attendance of absent members to achieve a quorum.

https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1452658/210667.pdf

Buddyzbuddy

(1,455 posts)
8. I think their Federal Civil Rights, trumps(no pun intended) the Texas constitution.
Tue Aug 19, 2025, 07:10 PM
Aug 19

I'm guessing there is a law firm in the US that can argue that point. Uphill battle, but a battle worth having IMHO.

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