Governor Greg Abbott filed an emergency lawsuit with the Texas Supreme Court seeking to remove House Democrat Caucus Chairman Gene Wu and other Democratic legislators who fled the state to block a quorum during redistricting deliberations.
According to Breitbart, Abbott took "emergency action to begin the removal from office of derelict Democrat Texas House members who refuse to show up for the special session." The lawsuit was filed directly with the Texas Supreme Court to expedite the process.
The dramatic escalation comes after Abbott issued an ultimatum on Sunday, ordering House Democrats to return to work by Monday, August 4, at 3:00 PM or face removal from office. The governor cited Texas Attorney General Opinion No. KP-0382, which addresses whether legislators who intentionally break quorum can be determined to have vacated their offices.
The standoff began when Texas House Democrats left the state for Illinois to prevent the legislature from advancing plans to redistrict Texas Congressional Districts. Gene Wu, who chairs the Democratic Caucus, claimed the governor is "using an intentionally racist map to steal the voices of millions of Black and Latino Texans, all to execute a corrupt political deal."
Despite the governor's order to return, the Democratic legislators remained absent from the Capitol, maintaining their protest against the GOP redistricting effort. The lawmakers' departure effectively prevented the House from establishing a quorum required to conduct business.
This marks the latest instance of Texas Democrats employing a quorum-breaking strategy to obstruct Republican legislative priorities. The tactic has previously been used during contentious legislative battles in the state.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a notice with the Texas Supreme Court backing the governor's lawsuit. "Texas is taking every available avenue to force runaway Democrats to return to Texas and hold them accountable for breaking quorum," Paxton stated in his support of the governor's action.
The attorney general asserted his office has legal authority under the Texas Constitution and state law to bring cases against the absent House members. Paxton indicated he would make additional filings on Friday if Democrats continue to stay away from their legislative duties.
Governor Abbott's direct appeal to the Texas Supreme Court bypasses lower courts, citing Section 22 of the Texas Constitution and court precedent as justification. The unusual legal strategy reflects the administration's determination to resolve the stalemate quickly.
The Texas Supreme Court has requested a response from Chairman Gene Wu by Friday, August 8, at 5 p.m. The case has been filed as an Emergency Petition for Writ of Quo Warranto and assigned the number 25-0674.
Wu responded forcefully to the governor's actions, stating, "I took an oath to the constitution, not a politician's agenda." The Democratic chairman defended the quorum-breaking tactic as "not an abandonment of my office" but rather "a fulfillment of my oath."
He further accused Abbott of attempting to "silence my dissent by removing a duly-elected official from office." Wu's statement did not indicate whether he would formally respond to the lawsuit by the court's Friday deadline.
The legal battle sets up a significant constitutional question about the governor's power to remove elected legislators and the legislators' right to use quorum-breaking as a procedural tactic. Legal experts are closely watching the case for its potential precedent-setting implications.
If successful, Abbott's lawsuit could fundamentally alter the balance of power between the executive and legislative branches in Texas. The Texas Supreme Court's decision will likely address whether breaking quorum constitutes abandonment of office under state law.
This conflict represents the latest chapter in Texas's intensely partisan redistricting process, which has repeatedly led to legal challenges and political standoffs. The outcome could significantly impact the political landscape in Texas for years to come.
