Image: Philip Cortez, YouTube Screenshots

Texas Dem on the Run: Arrest Warrant Issued for Rep Philip Cortez After Playing Hooky Twice With Covid Spreaders in D.C.

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In: CAMPAIGNS, CULTURE, IMMIGRATION

Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan (R) finally gave a sign that Governor Greg Abbott (R) isn’t totally full of crap. After Abbott claimed that Texas House Dems would be arrested upon return from their trip to Washington D.C. that was taken to avoid a quorum for Republicans to pass voter integrity laws, it became apparent that it may have just been lip service.

Some Democrats have flirted with returning to Texas after their disastrous trip that led to at least seven Texas Democrats getting Covid-19 and prompting tests at the White House and for Vice President Kamala Harris. Phelan has signed what’s called a civil warrant for the arrest of San Antonio Dem Rep Philip Cortez.

Cortez apparently had returned to Texas and left again to go back to D.C. Cortez allegedly wanted to negotiate with Republicans and then got cold feet. Phelan said of Cortez, he “has irrevocably broken my trust and the trust of this chamber” after he “represented to me and his fellow members that he wanted to work on policy and find solutions to bring his colleagues back to Texas.”

The session in the Texas General Assembly ends on August 6th. Weak Texas Republicans have basically taken a too little too late approach and will have to see what their next options are now for the bills they are trying to pass. Red and swing states around the nation are passing voter integrity laws. This is making Democrats nervous, and they are doing crazy things.

Earlier today we reported that the so-called “Reverend” Jesse Jackson got himself arrested outside of U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema’s office.

He was protesting because she didn’t go along with the Democrat plan to abolish the filibuster temporarily to pass the “For the People” voting “rights” act. Democrats apparently think voting rights means no ID, even though most states need ID just to dump trash at the dump. Republicans claim they want to make it easy to vote and hard to cheat.

We reported in part:

Today, protesting in front of Kyrsten Sinema’s Phoenix office, Rev. Jesse Jackson was arrested along with William Barber, and it is being reported that the pair were charged with misdemeanor trespass.

Local reporter Brahm Resnik tweeted some videos of the incident.

“NOW Revs Jesse Jackson & William Barber will be arrested and released by Phoenix police in protest outside ⁦@SenatorSinema⁩’s Camelback Rd office, per Jackson assistant. Rev. Jesse Jackson emerging from suv after civil rights icon was arrested by Phoenix PD in protest at @SenatorSinema’s district office. Rev William Barber was also in vehicle after his arrest. Protesters were charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass.”

The protest was organized to pressure Sinema to help end the U.S. Senate filibuster. Currently, the filibuster is stopping Democrats from passing legislation without Republican support. Democrats currently control the House the Senate and the White House giving them quite the edge to pass legislation.

The For the People Act was stopped earlier this year by a 50-50 vote which didn’t allow the bill to come to debate in the Senate. This has lead to many Democrats demanding an end to the filibuster. Sinema has been targeted as she is one of the Democrats who do not want to bring an end to the filibuster but would like to see legislation passed with bipartisan support.

It remains to be seen how things pan out with the Texas bills the GOP there want to pass, and with upcoming 2022 and 2024 elections looming.

KSAT reported in part:

The warrant is not likely to have impact since Texas law enforcement lacks jurisdiction outside the state. It is the first one signed by the speaker since more than 50 House Democrats left the state to block Republicans from having the quorum needed to pass legislation during the special legislative session that began earlier this month.

Last week, Cortez returned to Austin from Washington in what he said was an attempt to engage in “good faith dialogue” about House Bill 3, the election legislation. Other Democrats criticized Cortez’s move, saying the lawmaker did not first consult with them before returning to Austin.

By Sunday though, Cortez was back in Washington, saying in a statement that talks with lawmakers in Austin on negotiating the legislation “have not produced progress.”

Some related tweets floating around on Twitter:

When Cortez originally went back to Austin:

Ian MacDonald
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