Texas Dems receive financial help from Beto O'Rourke, Willie Nelson

[TexasTowelie]

WASHINGTON – With financial help from the likes of Willie Nelson and Beto O’Rourke, and moral support from the White House, Democrats from the Texas Legislature spent their second full day on the lam pleading for congressional help on voting rights.

They focused so far not on holdouts like Sen. Joe Manchin but on liberal allies like Sen. Elizabeth Warren who already support the cause that prompted them to slip out of Austin on short notice Monday, bringing the Texas House to a screeching halt for lack of a quorum. And they settled in for a month-long exile at a four-star hotel a few blocks from the White House.

“Our commitment is to kill the bill for this session and make the case to the U.S. Senate to embrace the House’s good work,” said state Rep. Chris Turner of Grand Prairie, chair of the Texas House Democratic caucus and ring leader of the fugitives who left the state to escape the reach of Texas state troopers and the House sergeant at arms.

“We’re not in any way, suggesting that members are going to stay out of the state of Texas for the rest of the year, the next two years, obviously that’s not realistic.”

Read more: https://myrgv.com/wire/state/2021/07/14/texas-dems-receive-financial-help-from-beto-orourke-willie-nelson/

[catrose]

1. Thank you, Beto, Willie, Elizabeth, and all.

I received word today from a friend (who had two credible sources) that staffers are having a tough time, with angry Republicans calling and abusing them. If you'd like to call and say something nice, I'm sure they'd appreciate it even if you're not in their district (and you might be preventing an angry Republican from getting through):
Rep. John Bucy [phone]
Rep. Sheryl Cole [phone]
Rep. Vikki Goodwin [phone]
Rep. Gina Hinojosa [phone]
Rep. Donna Howard [phone]
Rep. Celia Israel (tomorrow is her birthday!) [phone]
Rep. Eddie Rodriguez [phone]
Rep. James Talarico [phone]
Rep. Erin Zwiener [phone]
Sen. Sarah Eckhardt [phone]
Rep. Jasmine Crockett 512-463-0586

[Budi]

3. Thanks for this info! They must all be supported, this cannot be easy for any of them

Abbott & Tx Republicans are a national disgrace.

These are the heros we read about thoughout history. Those who never gave up on changing the world.

[catrose]

4. Really! I don't know if Abbott has stopped their salaries yet. I'd like to see a GFM just for staff.

Or at least going in together to send them lunches.

[Budi]

5. Tx has got to clean the filth out of Austin.

Maybe check in daily for updates on Beto's twitter

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

My god...their poor families too.

😕

[catrose]

8. Yes, I do follow Beto.

[TexasTowelie]

6. The legislative staff received their paychecks on July 1 and will receive them on August 1.

The new state budget comes into effect on September 1 and the paycheck due to arrive that day is in jeopardy because of Gov. Abbott's veto of Article X of the budget.

The legislator's salary is set by the Texas Constitution and Abbott cannot deny the legislators their $600 per month paychecks.

[catrose]

7. Thanks. I didn't know when the threat went into effect.

Somehow I imagine the staff will miss their checks more than the legislators would miss their $600/month (which, as you say, is guaranteed).

Molly Ivins used to say that anyone who believes in states' rights should come watch the Texas Lege for a while.

It's better than most TV.

[yellowdogintexas]

9. full list here (thx Texas Tribune)

TEXAS LEGISLATURE 2021
Texans, where’s your Democratic lawmaker?
Here’s a list of the Texas Democrats who left the state in an effort to block GOP voting legislation.

BY COLLEEN DEGUZMAN JULY 14, 2021UPDATED: JULY 15, 2021

Vaccine Tracker
TEXAS LEGISLATURE 2021
Texans, where’s your Democratic lawmaker?
Here’s a list of the Texas Democrats who left the state in an effort to block GOP voting legislation.

BY COLLEEN DEGUZMAN JULY 14, 2021UPDATED: JULY 15, 2021


COPY LINK
An empty House floor the day after Texas Democrats left the state to break quorum over a Republican-led voting restrictions …
The House floor was almost empty the day after Texas Democrats left the state to break quorum over a Republican-led elections bill. Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.

On Wednesday evening, at least 56 Democratic members of the Texas House and nine Democratic members of the Texas Senate had left the state. Lacking a quorum, the House was unable to conduct business, and the fugitive representatives were subject to arrest under House rules should they cross back into Texas.

The Senate still had enough members, including four Democrats, present to continue passing bills.

Here's a list of who left, who stayed and a few whose locations were unclear as of Wednesday. (One note: Rep. Garnet Coleman, a Houston Democrat, was in Texas but recovering from surgery and not present in the Capitol.)

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At least six representatives and four senators stayed in Texas
Rep. Abel Herrero, HD 34
Rep. Eddie Morales Jr., HD-74
Rep. Garnet Coleman, HD-147
Rep. John Turner, HD-14
Rep. Ryan Guillen, HD-31
Rep. Tracy King, HD-80
Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., SD 27
Sen. John Whitmire, SD-15
Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, SD-20
Sen. Judith Zaffirini, SD-21

56 representatives and nine senators went to Washington
Rep. Alex Dominguez, HD-37
Rep. Alma Allen, HD-131
Rep. Ana-Maria Ramos, HD-102
Rep. Ann Johnson, HD-134
Rep. Armando “Mando” Martinez, HD-39
Rep. Armando Walle, HD-140
Rep. Art Fierro, HD-79
Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, HD-120
Rep. Carl Sherman, HD-109
Rep. Celia Israel, HD-50
Rep. Chris Turner, HD-101
Rep. Christina Morales, HD-145
Rep. Claudia Ordaz Perez, HD-76
Rep. Diego Bernal, HD-123
Rep. Donna Howard, HD-48
Rep. Eddie Lucio III, HD-38
Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, HD-51
Rep. Elizabeth Campos, HD-19
Rep. Erin Zwiener, HD-45
Rep. Evelina “Lina” Ortega, HD-77
Rep. Gene Wu, HD-137
Rep. Gina Hinojosa, HD-49
Rep. Harold Dutton Jr., HD-142
Rep. Hubert Vo, HD-149
Rep. Ina Minjarez, HD-124
Rep. James Talarico, HD-52
Rep. Jarvis D. Johnson, HD-139
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, HD-100
Rep. Jessica González, HD-104
Rep. Joe Deshotel, HD-22
Rep. Joe Moody, HD-78
Rep. John Bucy, HD-136
Rep. Jon Rosenthal, HD-135
Rep. Julie Johnson, HD-115
Rep. Mary Ann Perez, HD-144
Rep. Mary González, HD-75
Rep. Michelle Beckley, HD-65
Rep. Nicole Collier, HD-95
Rep. Penny Morales Shaw, HD-148
Rep. Philip Cortez, HD-117
Rep. Rafael Anchía, HD-103
Rep. Ramon Romero Jr., HD-90
Rep. Ray Lopez, HD-125
Rep. Rhetta Andrews Bowers, HD-113
Rep. Richard Peña Raymond, HD-42
Rep. Robert “Bobby” Guerra, HD- 41
Rep. Ron Reynolds, HD-27
Rep. Senfronia Thompson, HD-141
Rep. Shawn Thierry, HD-146
Rep. Sheryl Cole, HD-46
Rep. Terry Meza, HD-105
Rep. Toni Rose, HD-110
Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, HD-116
Rep. Victoria Neave, HD-107
Rep. Vikki Goodwin, HD-47
Rep. Yvonne Davis, HD-111
Sen. Beverly Powell, SD-10
Sen. Borris Miles, SD-13
Sen. Carol Alvarado, SD-6
Sen. César Blanco, SD-29
Sen. José Menéndez, SD-26
Sen. Nathan Johnson, SD-16
Sen. Roland Gutierrez, SD-19
Sen. Royce West, SD-23
Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, SD-14

Link to Legislative phone numbers https://www.txdirectory.com/online/txhouse/

[Budi]

2. Wow Beto! & Thanks Willie Nelson! Half a Million $$ already

O’Rourke, the former El Paso congressman who challenged Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018, has used his formidable database and profile among Democrats to raise donations that would defray expenses that would easily top $10,000 a day just for the lodging of all of the fugitives.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the tally stood at $526,780 from 14,654 donors, for an average of $36 per donation.

Willie Nelson, the country music star, pitched in $5,000 and posted a video urging others to donate.