DALLAS—Texas Democrats defied Gov. Greg Abbott’s call to return to the state for an Aug. 4 hearing on redrawing Congressional lines, setting up a showdown between the two sides.
Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows announced that a quorum had not been met after roll call. House members then approved a motion for the Speaker to sign warrants “for the civil arrest of the members who have said they will not be here.”
Democrats had been threatening to leave the state for weeks over the redistricting issue. Beyond a civil arrest warrant, Abbott warned that they could now face removal from office and could face possible felony charges for raising money to help pay for fines they may face….