Good morning, 

When I heard 55 Democrats left the state, my first thought was, “That’s a start. When will the rest leave?”

Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Tuesday, July 13, 2021
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They Left

• Just a few days into the first called special legislative session, Democrat members of the Texas House fled the state Monday headed for Washington, DC, on a chartered plane. Their action breaks the constitutional quorum requirements for the consideration of legislation.
        
• As you would expect, Texas’ top Republicans have offered their condemnation of the Democrats’ action. Jeramy Kitchen has the details.
      
• Gov. Greg Abbott said the Democrats’ decision to “abandon the Texas State Capitol inflicts harm on the very Texans who elected them to serve.” Meanwhile, House Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) pledged he “will use every available resource under the Texas Constitution and the unanimously-passed House Rules to secure a quorum.”
        
• “It’s not surprising that Democrats would flee the state to prevent free and fair elections. Thankfully, our governor has the ability to call special sessions until they return and add all of our GOP priorities to the call. Our Republican Speaker has the ability to revoke committee chairmanships currently held by Democrats as well. This tantrum won’t prevent the passage of important legislation to protect our elections.” – Matt Rinaldi, chairman of the Republican Party of Texas

Typical Democrats

• This was not unexpected. 
      
• In the waning days of the 87th regular legislative session, House Democrats—enabled by House Republican leadership—“busted quorum” to prevent the final consideration of the conference committee report for the omnibus election integrity bill.
     
• At the time, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick chided Phelan for allowing Democrats to break quorum and for mismanaging the legislative calendar. Yesterday, Patrick said he expects Senate Democrats will be at work in the Capitol “to do what they were elected to do.”
       
• Readers might recall that the House met for a few minutes on Friday before taking a long weekend. Both chamber is scheduled to gavel in at 10am today, but – due to the Democrats’ action – no business can be conducted in the House.

And Stay Out

• On Thursday – the first day of the special session – State Rep. Tony Tinderholt (R–Arlington) offered a resolution that would punish lawmakers who shirked their responsibilities by stripping them of committee chairmanships, committee memberships, and seniority privileges. Thus far, that resolution has not been considered by the overall House.
      
• Article 3, Section 10, of the Texas Constitution explains quorums and compelling attendance.
       
• “QUORUM; ADJOURNMENTS FROM DAY TO DAY; COMPELLING ATTENDANCE.  Two-thirds of each House shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner and under such penalties as each House may provide.”

• Given what happens when Democrats take private planes in and out of the Austin airport, someone might want to go check for drugs…

Stealing Elections

• Despite a dozen items on the agenda for the special legislative session, at the heart of the Democrats’ departure is their opposition to legislation making Texas’ elections more secure.
       
• Erin Anderson explains the legislation that is on the table, and what it would do to improve voter integrity.

Well, That’s Gotta Sting…

• Holding their first gathering ever in Texas this past weekend, attendees to the CPAC political conference weighed in on who should be the GOP standard-bearer in 2022. As Brandon Waltens reports, Donald Trump was the crowd favorite, followed by Florida’s Ron DeSantis.
   
• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott got a goose egg; 0% of attendees support his presidential aspirations.

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