Free Republic

LAREDO, Texas - A federal judge in Laredo on Wednesday declined to rule on the Democratic lawsuit claiming Republicans violated the Voting Rights Act and Democrats' constitutional rights with their redistricting efforts, saying the matter would best be decided by a three-judge federal panel. U.S. District Judge George Kazen said he doesn't think the Voting Rights Act applies in the case, but the issues raised by the 11 senators have enough merit to refer the case to the larger group of judges. The quorum-busting senators -- who left the state for Albuquerque, N.M., a month ago to block a vote...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- The 11 Texas Senate Democrats in self-imposed exile said Monday that Republicans should assure them they will not be arrested if they go home when the special session of the Legislature ends today. The senators have been in New Mexico since July 28, when GOP Gov. Rick Perry called a second legislative special session on congressional redistricting. He has vowed to call as many 30-day special sessions as necessary to draw new districts in Texas that would elect more Republicans to the U.S. House of Representatives. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, also a Republican, last week suggested a...

State Sen. Bill Ratliff, R-Mount Pleasant, has just about had all he can take of his fellow Republican lawmakers on redistricting, and he isn't afraid to speak out about the harm it has caused the Texas Legislature."There are those who are supporting these actions that believe that everybody will all come back together and it will all be cum ba yah again," Ratliff said Wednesday. "I believe it won't be like that."Ratliff is currently at home in Mount Pleasant, having walked out of a meeting last week of Republicans wanting to impose certain fines on the 11 Democrat senators who...

AUSTIN - Former acting Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff, the only Senate Republican who has vocally opposed congressional redistricting, said Tuesday there's little chance he will seek another term and has contemplated resignation over the current state of the Texas Senate. "It's a day-to-day or month-to-month decision," said Ratliff, R-Mount Pleasant. "I'm getting to the point that I'd rather be playing golf. I enjoy my golf a little more these days." Speaking publicly for the first time since angrily walking out of a Senate Republican Caucus meeting last week and abruptly returning to Mount Pleasant when his colleagues decided to fine...

On Wed. August 13, 2003, State Senator Rodney Ellis, one of two African-American senators now in New Mexico, was interviewed by KLIF (Dallas) host Greg Knapp. Sen. Ellis, among other things, said that fines levied by GOP senators amounted to a "poll tax". Ellis tells Knapp several times to "shut up", and finally hangs up on Knapp. One post-interview caller to Knapp's show identified herself as an independent, who, after hearing the interview, says she will be voting a straight republican ticket in the future. When you click on the link below, the mp3 file of the interview will need...