Posted on 08/07/2003 6:21:17 PM PDT by Libloather
Meeting fails to end standoff
2 GOP lawmakers unable to sway runaway Dems
By RACHEL GRAVES and R.G. RATCLIFFE
Aug. 6, 2003, 11:34PM
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Two Republican state senators flew here Wednesday for a covert two-hour meeting with several of the 11 Democratic state senators who fled Texas to block a GOP congressional redistricting plan.
Republican Sens. Todd Staples of Palestine and Robert Duncan of Lubbock told the Houston Chronicle Wednesday evening that they met with Democratic Sens. Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio, Royce West of Dallas and Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa of Mission.
"Our only form of communication with our colleagues has been through the media," Staples said. "We felt it important to come to Albuquerque to visit in person."
Neither he nor the Democrats would discuss details of the meeting, which came on the 10th day of a standoff in which both sides have said there was little room for negotiation.
Van de Putte characterized the meeting as friendly and respectful, but she and other Democratic senators said it did not change their minds about staying in Albuquerque.
"We still remain inalterably opposed to redistricting," Van de Putte at an evening news conference.
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst on Tuesday and again Wednesday threatened legal action to force the senators back to Austin, but did not specify what legal options might be available.
Republican leaders in Austin and Washington are pushing the Legislature to redraw congressional districts in a way that would result in Texas sending more Republicans to the U.S. House of Representatives.
The delegation now comprises 17 Democrats and 15 Republicans, which Republicans argue is unfair since their party now holds all statewide offices and controls both chambers of the Legislature.
Redistricting failed in the regular legislative session last spring when state House Democrats went to Ardmore, Okla., to break the House quorum.
Gov. Rick Perry then called a special session last month on redistricting, and the state House passed a map that likely would have added as many as seven Republican U.S. representatives.
But the Senate's 12 Democratic senators, joined by one Republican, were able to block redistricting because of a Senate rule then in effect requiring a two-thirds vote -- 21 of the Senate's 31 members -- to bring a bill to the floor for debate.
Eleven of the Democratic senators left the Capitol and broke the Senate's quorum on the eve of a second session July 28, when Dewhurst, who presides over the Senate, said the two-thirds rule would not be in effect in the new session.
Staples and Duncan arrived in Albuquerque Wednesday morning but did not meet with the runaway Democrats until early afternoon.
"It's been a long day," Staples said.
He would not comment on whether Perry or Dewhurst knew about their trip, nor would he say who paid for the charter flight.
Van de Putte said the Democrats were delayed in meeting the Republicans because they did not know their GOP Senate colleagues were coming.
"We certainly made the effort to get to the location as quickly as possible," she said.
Neither side in Albuquerque publicized Wednesday's meeting, and senators acknowledged it only after reporters found them at a small private airport.
Van de Putte blamed the governor's office for alerting the media.
"It would seem that in this case, it is the governor who wants to prevent the Senate from even dialoguing with each other," she said.
Perry spokeswoman Kathy Walt said Van de Putte's information is wrong.
"Texas has a lot more pressing concerns that she needs to come back and address rather than worrying about media finding out what they're doing," Walt said. "Her lines of communication are a bit garbled in New Mexico."
Earlier Wednesday in Austin, Republican state leaders, for the second day running, tried to turn the legislative stalemate into a battle over programs for the poor and children, but Democrats said it was all a ruse to justify a partisan special legislative session.
Perry, Dewhurst and House Speaker Tom Craddick announced that Perry by executive order is sending $700 million in funding to the state's school districts.
They said the order solved a state budget problem that could not be fixed legislatively because the runaway Democrats shut down the Senate.
Perry said the Democrats may not like the possibility of being defeated on redistricting, but he said they owe it to the state to be in Austin for legislation on other important issues.
"They need to be here for the entire work," Perry said. "Today it's redistricting. What is it in six months? They don't like the school finance plan we're working on -- they go to Little Rock this time or some other exotic location."
But the Democrats in Albuquerque said Perry's action just confirmed their charge that the remaining budget work is housekeeping that requires no legislative action.
"Apparently the governor needed a letter from the attorney general to realize that he had budget execution authority," said Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo. "The governor's games are laughable and ludicrous."
Graves reported from Albuquerque, Ratcliffe from Austin.
Should've slapped the cuffs on 'em when they had the chance...
The elected representatives couldn't agree in time for the 2002 election, so the courts stepped in and essentially froze the map from 1991 so that the 2002 election could proceed. In my opinion, that doesn't absolve the Legislature (the elected representatives of the people) from reapportioning themselves.
In hindsight, it seems that having a release valve of the courts to intervene when the Legislature can't resolve an issue is only a reason for the Legislature to refuse to compromise, knowing that the courts will go one way or the other. I'd like to see the courts stay out of the Legislature's business and let the failure of the Legislature cause a Constitutional crisis. That might be the incentive to cause voters to more wisely choose their representatives.
-PJ
If I understand correctly, the dixie-chicken-dems left Texas to prevent the legislature from ratifying a new map that would eliminate dem congressional seats. I'm curious about a few things, and hope you kind Texans can help.
1.) If the dems come back after this Special Session is over, can the Governor call another Special Session and take up redistricting?
2.) Knowing that the dems don't give a rat's rear about the jobs they were "elected" to do, can they continue to flee the state every time Session opens in order to delay redistricting indefinately?
3.) Is there any way the Republicans can compel the dems to vote?
Thanks, all.
No but then you don't need them to vote, just be present so a quorum can be attained. A majority vote carries the issue
The Governor can keep calling Sessions. There have been up to six in the past that I'm aware of...... He can call it immediately after this session adjourns, like he did when he called this 2nd session, or he could wait a few days let them come back home and then call it....
There are court actions being initiated by both sides now... So who knows where this will wind up.
GOP Governor, Senate Democrats File Competing Court Claims in Texas Redistricting Battle
Do you know if there's a time limit for action on a Bill? For example, if the legislature cannot act on redistricting due to dems leaving town, will the dems be able to kill the redistricting bill by outlasting the Republicans and the governor?
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