Insanity in Texas Reaches a Fever Pitch as Republicans Order Democrats Arrested; Many Democrats Flee State for Asylum in Oklahoma

Phaedrus · May 15, 2003

In what has to be the most truly bizarre and under-reported event currently going on the US, Republican lawmakers in Texas have ordered the arrest of 57 Democratic legislators who refuse to vote on a Republican-backed redistricting bill. Many of the legislators, now legally considered fugitives, have fled to neighbouring Oklahoma for asylum; where governor Brad Henry has ordered state police to not cooperate with any Texas police or other entities who attempt to apprehend the politicians.

Story here.

Phaedrus

Phaedrus · May 16, 2003

Found a follow-up to this story on UPI, which includes a so-far unanswered challenge from US Rep. Lloyd Dogget to Attorney General John Ashcroft and Homeland Security director Tom Ridge to explain what business federal personnel had in assisting the search for the missing Texas legislators (the Air and Marine Interdiction and Coordination Centre, an ostensibly anti-terrorist unit, was used to help find the Texans.)

I'm still just amazed that this story isn't making more impressions on the mainstream press. There was a brief blurb about it on the CBS news this morning but that's all I've seen.

Phaedrus

corey · May 16, 2003

If I hadn't seen it on CNN (where it was barely a blurb), I wouldn't have believed it. I thought it was a joke at first.

Unbelievable. Total fascists show their true colors.

JakeT. · May 16, 2003

I don't know who I side with on this one. The Republican bill was extremely unfair and it shouldn't have passed, but at the same time this could set a precedent of a way to **** the other party over. Republicans let the bill die and didn't arrest the Dems after all was said and done, but this a really weird story in which both sides were caught cheating eachother.

Oceans11 · May 16, 2003

I believe the Democrats do the same stuff in the areas where they are the dominant party.
It seems to be an an acceptable gerrymandering/vote grabbing process used by both sides.

I wonder why Texas was the exception.

corey · May 16, 2003

They didn't arrest them because they couldn't.

Oceans11 · May 16, 2003

I know that bit.

Its the bonny and clyde across the state line stuff Im on about.

Most reps see it as the norm to accept majority rule, why not this time.

Phaedrus · May 17, 2003

Well, now it gets amusing, sort of. In the Austin Star-Telegram appears a story where the Texas good ol' boys are being taken to task over using the Homeland Security team to track them down ... naturally th Republicans know nothing; they say ask the DPS. The DPS says they know nothing; they wuz just follerin' orders. The HOmeland Security people, if their own story is correct, were apallingly lied to ("We've got missing senators ... we don't know if they're okay or even how many could be missing ..." which sounds a lot like a catastrophic terrorist attack) Congress wants to know what the hell the Texas DPS is doing with HS resources, and all the Republicans can think to do is say that the Democrats are just trying to shirk responsibility (by launching an inquiry on fiscal and jurisdictional responsibiliy no less)

I love politicians. SO much entertainment, and only $ 2.1 trillion a year. A bargain at twice the price.

Phaedrus