Thread by @jamestalarico

A month ago, we broke quorum to kill the Texas voter suppression bill.

A week ago, Gov. Abbott defunded the entire legislative branch in retaliation.

Today, we’re suing Abbott in the Texas Supreme Court.

Texas is the frontline in the fight for democracy. #txlege

Let me explain…

In the wake of Donald Trump’s big lie that the election was stolen, Greg Abbott and his allies in the Texas Legislature introduced Senate Bill 7—a classic voter suppression bill.

The goal was simple: make it harder to vote in Texas.

texastribune.org/2021/05/30/tex…

In the final hours of the session, my Democratic colleagues and I walked off the House floor to kill SB 7.

We broke quorum—a time-honored legislative maneuver. Fun fact: Lincoln jumped out of a window in the Illinois State Capitol to break quorum in 1840

statesman.com/story/news/202…

As retribution, Gov. Abbott vetoed the part of the state budget that funds the Texas Legislature—a coequal branch of government.

Yes, eliminating the legislative branch is a strange way to prove you’re not trying to undermine democracy.

houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/…

This isn’t just a threat to democracy, it’s a threat to 2,100 legislative staff who will lose their pay + health insurance on Sept 1.

My Chief of Staff, Michelle Castillo, has a newborn daughter who relies on her insurance. Michelle joined the lawsuit today too. @mi_castillo

This also includes nonpolitical staff like the custodians, cafeteria workers, landscapers, and parking attendants that care for our Texas Capitol every day.

They will also lose their pay and their health insurance on September 1.

This week, Gov. Abbott called a *special* session for July 8.

The strategy is clear. The Governor is using Capitol staff and their families as a grotesque bargaining chip to pressure the Legislature into passing his voter suppression bill.

texastribune.org/2021/06/22/tex…

This is not how democracy works.

This is how authoritarianism works.

So I—along with 55 of my fellow legislators—just filed a lawsuit against the Governor in the Texas Supreme Court.

We’re prepared to do everything we can to stop the Governor’s unprecedented and unconstitutional abuse of power.

Democracy is not a partisan issue.

My Republican colleague Rep. Lyle Larson points out that our Texas Constitution specifically includes a separation of powers provision. Our US Constitution doesn’t even have that.

https://twitter.com/replylelarson/status/1408379892333486081?s=21

A tangible way you can help is to donate to the quorum breakers to help us pay our staff.

You can help me, Michelle, and the rest of our team here:

secure.actblue.com/donate/james-t…

TL;DR

We’re suing Greg Abbott, saving democracy.