R&I – FS
The Texas Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a state district judge’s temporary restraining order that had prevented the arrest of Texas House Democrats, who left the state last month in an attempt to stop the passage of restrictive voting bills.
The ruling means that many of the Democratic lawmakers who returned to Texas but continue to break quorum during the second session could now be at risk for arrest after state House Republicans voted later Tuesday to direct the sergeant-at-arms to compel attendance “under warrant of arrest if necessary.”
The Texas House Speaker’s office confirmed Tuesday night that the Speaker has signed civil arrest warrants for 52 House Democrats who are absent without excuses. Those warrants will be delivered to the sergeant-at-arms in the morning for service.
The 80-12 vote came just hours after the Texas Supreme Court ruling and was mostly along party lines, with one House Republican voting against the motion.
Texas’ high court on Tuesday issued a stay of Travis County State District Judge Brad Urrutia’s order and gave the group of Democrats until Thursday evening to file a response.
Urrutia’s order signed Sunday barred Texas’ Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan from “issuing any warrant or other instrument” and “detaining, confining, or otherwise restricting a Texas House Democrat’s movement without his or her consent.”
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Article URL : https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/10/politics/texas-supreme-court-blocks-arrest-democrats/index.html