Texas House Speaker Aims Sights On Runaway Dems

The Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives announced new measures Friday targeting Democrats who fled the state to deny the body a quorum for redistricting.

Democrats in the Texas state legislature fled to Democratic-controlled states like New York and Illinois in order to thwart a special session of the body to consider redistricting that could net Republicans up to five seats in the United States House of Representatives. Republican State Rep. Dustin Burrows, the speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, listed the measures the body was taking in response to the absences.

“I have activated a new policy stating that any member absent for the purpose of breaking quorum will no longer have their paycheck or per diem deposited electronically. While the Constitution forbids us from withholding pay, it does not dictate how we issue the pay,” Burrows said. “Those checks must now be picked up in person, on the Capitol grounds, effective immediately.”

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“Starting today, to safeguard taxpayer dollars and account for forthcoming liabilities, under rule five section three of house rules which authorizes fines for members absent without leave, 30% of each quorum breaking members operating monthly budget will be reserved and made unavailable for expenditure,” Burrows continued. “Absent members must also appear in person to approve or enact any of the following: requests for travel reimbursement, personal action requests including those increasing or decreasing staff salaries.”

The FBI has agreed