Absent (Texas) Dems want assurances of no arrests

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory/2065652

The 11 Texas Senate Democrats in self-imposed exile said today that Republicans should assure them they will not be arrested if they go home when the special session of the Legislature ends Tuesday.

The senators have been in New Mexico since July 28, when GOP Gov. Rick Perry called a second legislative special session on congressional redistricting. He has vowed to call as many 30-day special sessions as necessary to draw new districts in Texas that would elect more Republicans to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, also a Republican, last week suggested a cooling-off period in the nasty partisan battle before the start of another special session.

If Republicans are serious about that, the Democrats said Monday, they should set a timetable for calling the next session. Otherwise, Perry could call a special session as soon as the Democrats returned to Texas, where they could be arrested and forced to the Capitol.

[Avalux]

1. Perry makes me wanna puke

car salesman sleaziness through and through - he'd do it too - call a special session the minute they cross the state line with troopers waiting.

[OldCurmudgeon]

2. don't trust 'em!

the TX repugs are lying scumbags, don't trust them a single bit!

In fact, don't even trust having a court ruling saying that the leg. can't arrest missing legislators: they'll ignore the court, haul in dems by force, and ram through their redistricting.

TX dems: if you get caught in TX when the special session is called, grab your guns and hole up in the Alamo. Even DeLay would hesitate to order storming the Alamo.

[Gman]

5. All of this is part of the legislative record and as such

is part of the record of the "intent" of the legislature for this redistricting. A federal appeals court would have a very hard time upholding this redistricting bill if the record reflects that the Dems were arrested and held hostage to have a quorum during voting on this bill.

[dusty64]

6. I hope they don't either.

x

[judgegina]

3. Rick Perry is scum

don't trust that bastard!

[PennyLane]

4. Seriously.....

Do they really think they won't be punished? Texas will lure them back with promises of immunity, and WHAM! :spank:

[realFedUp]

7. and they call California crazy...

This is so sick. Legislators having to disappear from
home, family, friends, businesses to fight the rightwingnut
coup to redistrict over miles of areas barely connected
to try and get more votes.
I hope Texans stand up to these Republicans next
election.

I find Bush's silence on this deafening.

[judgegina]

8. "I find Bush's silence on this deafening."

You might be interested in this article from the Dallas Morning News: Only one person can end standoff over redistricting

[cboy4]

9. Could you even imagine the backlash

if those courageous dems are arrested!?!?

I mean, aside from the two redistricting coup attempts,
you had Bill Thomas, R-Calif., calling the cops on the
Democrats in July.

Nevermind that the GOP stole FLA in 2000, is trying to
steal California in 2003, there's the record U.S. deficit on
its watch, there's the Iraq failure/lying about WMD....and
the list goes on and on....

Arrests could be the nail in the coffin for Bush and
Big Dick's chances in 2004!! Awwwwwwww.