Texas Democratic legislators still in Oklahoma - AWOL House members, GOP leaders stick to guns

The Dallas Morning News ^ | May 14, 2003 | By GEORGE KUEMPEL and PETE SLOVER / The Dallas Morning News

[MeekOneGOP]

Texas Democratic legislators still in Oklahoma

AWOL House members, GOP leaders stick to guns in redistricting standoff

05/14/2003

By GEORGE KUEMPEL and PETE SLOVER / The Dallas Morning News

AUSTIN – Neither side budged in the Red River redistricting standoff Tuesday, a second day of insults and indignation lobbed between Republicans and 51 House Democrats holed up in Oklahoma.

The Democrats, who fled to shut down the House on Monday in protest of a proposed Republican redistricting plan, defended their actions in a news conference outside their haven, the Holiday Inn in Ardmore, Okla.

"We have a message for Tom DeLay: Don't mess with Texas," said Rep. Jim Dunnam of Waco, the Democratic caucus chairman who has emerged as a ringleader of the rebel efforts.

Also Online

	Playing the waiting game
	Parties working to deflect blame
	DeLay assails Democrats
	Video: Shelley Kofler reports

He warned Mr. DeLay, the U.S. House majority leader, that the Democrats would not return to Austin to allow debate of the redistricting plan, which is on the agenda largely because of his efforts.

Mr. Dunnam said the members agreed to stay at least until midnight Thursday – the session's deadline for introducing legislation such as the redistricting bill.

"We decided yesterday that we were going to stay as long as it takes. ... It would take about two minutes if the Republican leadership makes the right decision," said Mr. Dunnam, who called the GOP response to the crisis "cowardly."

In Washington, Mr. DeLay, R-Sugar Land, chided the "fugitive Democrats" and defended the redistricting proposal, which he said would better reflect the way Texans vote by redrawing districts to create at least four more safe seats for Republicans in the U.S. House.

House Speaker Tom Craddick, who has labeled the missing Democrats "chickens," noted that Republicans never fled from redistricting battles. "Two years ago the Republicans could have walked and ... we didn't do it," he said in Austin. "We didn't run and hide, and that's what they are doing."

Mr. Craddick said the hour of death is near for some major state legislation, including bills designed to raise much-needed cash. Until at least two-thirds of the 150 House members return to achieve a quorum, no business can be conducted.

"We killed over $630 million worth of revenue measures ... [needed] to help the state of Texas in balancing the budget," he said.

One of the rebellious Democrats, Rep. Steve Wolens of Dallas, said that despite the fervent talk, there's plenty of time for the Legislature to accomplish critical business. Even if Thursday passes, Mr. Dunnam agreed, the House can vote to suspend that deadline and consider bills.

Mr. Wolens likened the walkout to other parliamentary maneuvers used routinely to kill legislation. For instance, under Senate rules, any bloc of 11 members can prevent a bill from being considered.

"Rome isn't burning, and the Legislature's not going away," he said, adding that redistricting is always among the most divisive issues. "We get past these things all the time."

While the crisis would end if one or two of the Democrats in Ardmore switched sides and returned to Austin, there were no rumbles about any defections around the normally gossipy halls of the statehouse.

Speaker Pro Tem Sylvester Turner of Houston, one of the House Democrats who stayed, asked Mr. Craddick to pull the redistricting bill from the calendar so the House could move on to more pressing matters, such as the state budget.

"Congressional redistricting is not a must-do thing," Mr. Turner said. "The budget is No. 1."

The attempt to force the runaways back to Austin at the hands of Texas Department of Public Safety troopers appeared to have stalled. The DPS said it has no jurisdiction in Oklahoma – or the signatures of judges required of traditional criminal arrest warrants – to serve the "arrest warrants" drawn up by Mr. Craddick's staff based on House rules.

Likewise, a bid for federal intervention failed. A spokesman for state Attorney General Greg Abbott said First Assistant Attorney General Barry McBee had inquired about federal assistance, at the request of Mr. Craddick's office.

The spokesman said Mr. McBee had not heard back, but federal officials in Washington said there was no basis for the Justice Department to get involved. "That's a state matter," said Justice Department spokesman Jorge Martinez in Washington.

As the standoff dragged on, DPS officers at the Holiday Inn in Ardmore remained friendly with their would-be quarry.

"They're just kind of hanging out," Mr. Wolens said. "They said, 'If you'd like, we'd be happy to accompany you back to Austin,' " Mr. Wolens said. "We did what Nancy Reagan said to do. We just said, 'No.' "

Mr. Dunnam said that the Democrats are paying for the trip with their own money and that they've agreed to forfeit their $124 daily state allowance until the imbroglio is resolved.

Gov. Rick Perry said Tuesday that there's still time for Democrats and Republicans to work out their differences and noted that he's waiting for important legislation that can't cross his desk until the House deals with it.

"With less than three weeks left in this legislative session, legislators have yet to send me a balanced budget, meaningful homeowners insurance reform that lowers rates and a medical malpractice bill that will protect patients' care in Texas," he said.

"It's unfortunate they would run and hide rather than stay and fight for their constituents," Mr. Perry said.

State GOP leaders argued Tuesday that the concentration of Democrats in Ardmore could constitute a quorum of certain House committees, in violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act. State Republican Chairman Susan Weddington said it was outrageous that the missing lawmakers are not subject to legal sanctions.

Democrats deny they are conducting any House business.

Staff writers Matt Stiles in Ardmore, Okla., Robert T. Garrett in Austin and Michelle Mittelstadt and David Jackson in Washington contributed to this report.

E-mail gkuempel@dallasnews.com

and pslover@dallasnews.com

---

Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/latestnews/stories/051403dntexstandoff.1c516.html

[padfoot_lover]

These Chicken D's (and their whole party) have no integrity whatsoever. They sicken me. I can't understand citizens who are supportive of these immoral stunts which the Democratic party just keeps pulling out of their hat, one after another....

[Gopher Broke]

Texas Freepers...click HERE to see a website listing the newspapers in Texas...then send each a LETTER TO THE EDITOR highlighting the cowardly action of the Texas Democrats.

[MeekOneGOP]

Go for it, Meekie!

I am just a messenger. The other FReeper wanted me to give his cell phone number to any others that are going to FReep the 'RATS in the Holiday Inn.

I'm going to my Dad's house tonight and spend the evening and tomorrow with him. I'm taking him to lunch tomorrow for his 72nd birthday !

[TLBSHOW]

PING

[429CJ]

I liked one persons idea of putting up loudspeakers outside the hotel and playing BOOMER SOONER over and over.

[MeekOneGOP]

That's what I would hope to happen here. I would guess that the U.S. legislators were still hangin' around D.C. though ??

[BellStar]

A House Bill that would have stopped the practice of Home Owners Associations banning Flagpoles and other displays from yards will now die if the partisan walkout (an embarrassing national news story now too!) by Texas Democrats, including Galveston counties own Rep. Craig Eiland, continues.

House Bill 1279
By Zedler, Howard
Reads in part :Some Home Owners Associations have banned flagpoles and other flag displays from the yards of homes under their jurisdiction. This bill says that homeowners associations cannot keep someone from flying the flag.

As you may know, I am one of those who’s HOA, (Kemah Oaks HOA) came after them for “Flagpoles”. I was seriously counting on this legislation to aid me in my difficult fight. Small children in our subdivision are now calling me the “Flag Lady” after the story of my “Flag Flap” appeared on television stations and in Texas and national news papers in April. What do I tell them? I will tell them some of us don’t run and hide when we don’t get our way unlike the cowardly Texas Legislators now hiding out in Oklahoma.

By the way
Galveston Island's State Rep. Craig Eiland's wife gave birth to twin premature babies and he still ran?

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks for that link !

[MeekOneGOP]

Those 'heros' in Oklahoma are Swine here in Texas.

no offense intended to good swine everywhere . . .

[MeekOneGOP]

I think so. You should have a reply to it by now . . .

[MeekOneGOP]

Yep ! This is the most outrageous thing I can think of right now that has happened since . . .

wellstone's FUNeral . . .

[justlurking]

Democrats deny they are conducting any House business.

That's not what they said yesterday:

[Coleman] said the lawmakers were working on budget-related legislation and other measures.

The missing Democratic lawmakers spent Monday in a hotel conference room, where large sheets of paper taped to the walls were used as makeshift chalkboards and long tables were filled with laptop computers, stacks of papers and notebooks. They said they discussed school financing, homeowners insurance and other issues and planned to resume the work sessions Tuesday. "It was a working day," said Rep. Pete Gallego.

[SwatTeam]

Thanks for the ping


Yesterday I made calls to Villareal, Castro, McClendon and left messages. Fischer's phone would click off after two rings and give a busy signal. Got someone in Menendez's office. Menendez is one my reps and the number for his Austin office is 512-463-0634. I started to tell the guy who answered the phone to tell Mr. Menendez if he wasn't man enough to do the job he was elected to do he should resign and the guy went ballistic and started shouting at me and accused me of calling Menendez names and then told me to shove it and hung up. That is how the democrats conduct business. I think they must have been getting lots of negative calls for him to go ballistic as fast and as completely as he did.

---

[MeekOneGOP]

hehe !

[padfoot_lover]

Speaking of the Wellstone service, check this out.... http://www.wellstone.org/

Take a look at their advisory committee...

[MeekOneGOP]

By the way
Galveston Island's State Rep. Craig Eiland's wife gave birth to twin premature babies and he still ran?

What a total Arse ! He could have gotten a pass on that too ! Shows where HIS priorities are !!

[SwinneySwitch]

"Democrats deny they are conducting any House business."

They're damned if they do and damned if they don't!

Just sent an email to my 'rat rep telling her to stay in OK as long as possible!

WHAT IDIOTS!

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks for the report. It's good to hear if they are taking some heat over this . . .

[zlala]

Why did they run out of state? Seems to me they could have made a few points by running to NW Texas and at least spending $$$$ in a Texas hotel and Texas eateries. All they way around they are idiots. The thing that worries me the most is that this ploy will work for them. And they'll get a pass on their actions all the way around.

[MeekOneGOP]

Bunch of 'RATS and HollyWeird types . . .