Posted on 07/30/2003 7:23:07 AM PDT by The_Victor
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Democratic Sen. Mario Gallegos of Houston had two shirts and he was wearing one of them. Sen. Rodney Ellis, also of Houston, longed for a pair of cuff links and at least one pair of jeans.
And it seemed like everyone needed more underwear than they had brought.
The 11 Democratic senators from Texas had known for weeks that the moment might come when they would have to flee Austin to try to thwart a congressional redistricting bill.
But as events developed quickly at the state Capitol in Austin on Monday, a decision to leave had to be made immediately and the senators were forced to board a pair of private jets for Albuquerque with literally little more than the clothes on their backs.
So on Tuesday afternoon, a group of six senators dressed in suits and ties waited for a taxi to take them to the nearest mall to stock up for what may be a long stay in the Land of Enchantment.
"A lot of people were not prepared to leave when we left," said Gallegos, who was having a care package of clothing shipped to him from Austin.
As the senators spent their first full day on the lam, Texas House members in Austin hastily passed a congressional redistricting bill on the second day of the second special session.
The measure, identical to a redistricting plan approved by the House during the first special session, likely would unseat six incumbent Democratic congressmen in next year's elections.
The Democratic senators have vowed to kill the bill by preventing a quorum in the Senate.
The 11 senators have agreed to stay in New Mexico for the duration of the second special session -- 30 days in self-imposed exile.
Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Caucus, said Tuesday the senators will not return to Texas unless Gov. Rick Perry ends the session or Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst reinstitutes the rule requiring a two-thirds vote for legislation to be brought up for consideration.
"We will stay here until the governor ends redistricting altogether or until the normal rules of the Senate are reinstated so our votes against redistricting will provide the protection and representation our constituents deserve," the San Antonio senator said.
She said the senators had continued to work with fellow Senate members on the redistricting issue hoping a fair compromise would be reached. But after learning of Perry's plans to call a second special session on the matter, she said the senators had no other recourse.
"If the rules can be changed because they don't get their way in regular session or another special session, what's to say that's not going to happen on school finance or on another important issue?" she said.
Van de Putte planned the revolt, including selecting the destination, hotel accommodations and flight arrangements. And she did so in the utmost secrecy.
Ellis said everyone had expected to leave either Monday night or Tuesday morning. He said the Senate Democratic Caucus met Monday afternoon and members were planning to be in the Senate chamber when it was scheduled to reconvene at 2 p.m.
But about a half hour before the session was to begin, they learned from a group of Democratic and Republican House members that Perry was planning to adjourn the then-current special session at 3 p.m. and proclaim a second special session 30 minutes later.
That's when they decided to leave immediately. Sen. Ken Armbrister of Victoria was the only Democratic senator to stay behind in Austin.
About an hour later, the 11 senators were onboard a pair of private jets whose services were contributed by constituents of state Sen. Juan Hinojosa, D-McAllen. Gallegos said every precaution was taken to keep the details of their flight a secret, even on the drive to the airport.
"At one point, I said, `Where are we going?' " he said. "It was a back road. I didn't know there was a back road to the airport."
Van de Putte said she had selected six potential city destinations in four states, including bordering Mexican states. She said she picked the places based on their proximity to Texas, the political climate of the city and, most importantly, the medical facilities available.
Because state Sen. Eddie Lucio of Brownsville had recently suffered a heart attack, she said a city with a good medical facility was essential.
Since their arrival, the senators have been protected by about a half dozen New Mexico state troopers, all but one in plainclothes.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democrat, said Tuesday that the state, his administration and a majority of the state Legislature stood behind the Texas senators and their mission.
"My message to Texas state senators is that they are most welcome in New Mexico," Richardson said. "These men and women are courageous. They're strong. They acted on principle and they are here protecting their constituents, protecting those that potentially could be disenfranchised."
He said the few officers assigned to the security detail are serving regular shifts without overtime and at no extra cost to the state.
Thus far, the group has met little opposition in New Mexico.
On Tuesday, Tom Childress, who just moved to Albuquerque from Arlington, Texas, was one of three protesters, including a young child, outside the Marriott Pyramid North hotel.
State Sen. John Whitmire of Houston was just coming out of a morning workout at the hotel gym when he noticed the commotion and decided to go outside and shake hands with Childress, who was wearing a University of Texas hat.
Wearing tattered shorts and a T-shirt drenched in sweat, Whitmire asked Childress, "You folks want to arrest us?"
"You're not a bounty hunter are ya? You're not lying?" he asked.
Childress said he was acting independently and was out there because he believed the senators were shirking their duty.
The hardships for the 11 extend beyond financial concerns.
For Ellis, the problem of being away is particularly acute because he has a new daughter at home just over a week old. He left behind his wife to tend to their newborn daughter and two other young children, ages 9 and 4.
"She's a political junkie, that's what she thrives off. That's maybe why we got married, in part," he said.
But to lessen her burden, he asked her to let their two oldest children come to Albuquerque this weekend.
On Tuesday, Tom Childress, who just moved to Albuquerque from Arlington, Texas, was one of three protesters, including a young child, outside the Marriott Pyramid North hotel.
FReeper? If not he should be.
Or maybe the Texas Rangers could just eliminate them using a firing squad.
Texas Rangers
Limosine liberals.
We will stay here until the governor ends redistricting altogether
Good. Nothing will get done then-the less govt' the better. Besides, sooner or later the spouses are going to get pi$$ed that their spouses are living high off the hog in some fancy hotel while they are stuck home with the kids.
THAT would be democracy in action!
Typical Democrats - they've know for weeks that this was coming and couldn't be bothered to pack a bug-out bag in advance.
royce.west@senate.state.tx.us, frank.madla@senate.state.tx.us, eddie.lucio@senate.state.tx.us, rodney.ellis@senate.state.tx.us, judith.zaffirini@senate.state.tx.us, juan.hinojosa@senate.state.tx.us, gonzalo.barrientos@senate.state.tx.us, mario.gallegos@senate.state.tx.us, eliot.shapleigh@senate.state.tx.us, leticia.vandeputte@senate.state.tx.us, john.whitmire@senate.state.tx.us, jwhitmire@lockeliddell.com
You can copy and paste this complete list and send them an email and give them your thoughts. No vulgarity please. Don't want to sound like a democrat.
Then forward the list to all your Texan friends.
If it is no extra cost to state, could they please provide me and my family a half dozen plain clothes LEO's for bodyguards?
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