We Will Not Be Complicit In The Destruction Of Our Own Communities

How Texas Democrats are putting their bodies between us and authoritarianism.

Click here to donate and support Texas Democrats’ quorum break.

Here is the full press conference from Texas House Democratic leaders and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, but I’ll summarize below what else we’ve learned.

(If it doesn’t skip right to it, the conference actually starts at 27 minutes in.)

Representative Gene Wu (D-HD137) started the press conference by saying that Democrats came there with moral clarity and that it was the absolute right thing to do to protect the people of Texas.

And he’s right, thousands across Texas showed up and testified against these racist maps that stole power from the people, and over 10,000 submitted testimony online. Only a small handful of individuals were in favor of these maps, likely fewer than 100, including those who provided online testimony.

Wu went on to talk about the devastation of the July 4th floods and how House Republicans haven’t even filed a bill to address the disaster. Instead, they have spent the entire session so far playing dirty political games that only help themselves. And they’re doing it all through racist gerrymandering, because Abbott wants to allow Trump to steal these communities’ power.

Wu summed it up, “We will not be complicit in the destruction of our own communities. We will not be complicit in the destruction of any communities in Texas.”

For those who still don’t understand what the quorum break is about. It’s about Texas Democrats having a spine to stand up to the fascists who are hellbent on tearing us down.

Texas Republicans are already foaming at the mouth.

Attorney General Ken Paxton has promised arrests, and one of the AG candidates eyeing to be his replacement is promising to torture Democrats and drink their bodily fluids.

“Arrest them and expel them,” seems to be the cry getting louder from the right at the moment. The House Republicans cannot expel them without a majority. DPS can detain them and force them back to the House chamber, but only if they’re in Texas. DPS doesn’t have jurisdiction outside of Texas.

Next up at the press conference was Representative Trey Martinez-Fischer (D-HD116). He started with, “This quorum break is not about the Democratic Party, it’s about the democratic process.”

And he’s right. Breaking quorum is a constitutional safeguard, baked into both the Texas and US legislative traditions, that allows a minority to temporarily halt legislation when normal debate and votes are rendered meaningless by an unjust or unrepresentative process.

Martinez-Fischer is reminding us that this is about protecting the right of Texans to be heard, to be represented, and to participate in a government that works for them, not just for the party in power.

Then it was Representative Chris Turner’s (D-HD101) turn at the mic, who promptly reminded us that Democrats were using the power that they have under the Texas Constitution (more on that in a minute). He also informed the media that, in addition to the members in the Legislature that we see in Chicago, there are other members of the Legislature in Boston, MA, and Albany, NY, and more who were on their way.

Greg Abbott has gone full Stalin.

This was one move I didn’t predict, although I can’t say I’m surprised. About an hour ago, Abbott put out a statement saying he plans to unilaterally remove legislators for breaking quorum. His letter is full of bluster, but it distorts constitutional authority. He can’t do shit, and I’ll explain why.

The Texas Constitution (Art. III, Sec. 10) explicitly allows members to break quorum. Only a court can determine if an elected official has “vacated” office, and only through a quo warranto action (a lawsuit that challenges someone’s right to hold office).

Quorum breaking is not a felony. Fundraising to cover fines is not bribery. Bribery requires a corrupt agreement to influence an official act. Supporting a political protest is protected political speech. The idea that Abbott could extradite lawmakers for political protest is legally absurd and likely unconstitutional.

In a nutshell, Abbott is performing political theater. Abbott made similar threats in 2021, during the last major quorum break, and nothing came of them. His goal is to scare, smear, and distract, but he does not have unilateral removal power, nor can he criminalize legislative protest.

Finally, Governor Pritzker spoke and acknowledged that Texas Democrats were answering one of the most challenging calls of public service that has ever been asked.

A few other things we learned:

• Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder traveled to Illinois to help arrange this.

• Pritzker has promised to do everything he can to protect every single Texas Democrat as long as they’re in Illinois.

• Illinois Democrats agree that Trump and Abbott are trying to cheat and steal the next election.

And what about the Senate?

The Senate Legislative Caucus issued a statement expressing support for House Democrats and standing in solidarity with them.

But actually physically standing with them? Am I wrong to expect that? Maybe I am. I’d like to hear from you on this. Drop a comment below or on social media. Should Senate Democrats have stood side-by-side with their House colleagues? Or is standing with them “in spirit” good enough?

What does the Texas Constitution say?

It’s crucial we all know this, to combat the vast amounts of Republican misinformation that will be coming from the Texas Republicans in the coming days and weeks.

• The “Quorum Rule” (Article III, Section 10) was added to the 1876 Texas Constitution on purpose.

This is one of the strictest quorum rules in the country. And it was meant to slow things down, force consensus, and protect the minority from being steamrolled. It was explicitly designed as a pressure valve. And Democrats are pulling that valve now, for the same reason it was written: to stop illegitimate power grabs.

• The Texas Constitution also says what to do about it. And it’s not expulsion.

Article III, Section 10 also says that a smaller number of members can adjourn and compel attendance:

“...and compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner and under such penalties as each House may provide.”

That’s the DPS “arrests” and the $500-a-day fines, which we still don’t even know are Constitutional. They will be argued in court.

Democrats are doing what the Constitution allows, which is refusing to let Trump’s allies rewrite Texas maps to rig the next decade.

They are standing between authoritarianism and the people.

Breaking quorum is legal, constitutional, and has been used by both parties. It’s a tool for when the system is rigged, and right now, the system is absolutely rigged.

Who stayed behind?

We don’t know yet. The House is due to gavel in at 3:00 pm tomorrow (they pushed it back). If any Democrats show up, I promise to make a list and publish all their names.

If there are any Democratic stragglers in Texas after 3:00 pm tomorrow, DPS will have a BOLO for them, and may even show up at their homes and workplaces looking for them. If DPS captures any Democratic House member in Texas, they will be taken back to the Capitol and sequestered there until the end of the session, which is August 23.

We should expect Greg Abbott to call for another 30-day special session on August 24 immediately. What happens after that is anyone’s guess. Representative Wu did say that right now, their plan is evolving from day to day, but don’t expect him to make any of that public.

So whatever happens next, whether Abbott doubles down on his threats, whether DPS shows up at someone’s front door, whether more sessions are called or lawsuits are filed, let’s make one thing crystal clear:

Texas Democrats fight.

When national Democrats flinch, fold, or look the other way, Texas Democrats put their bodies on the line. They flee the state. They grind the system to a halt. They sacrifice safety and comfort to protect people who are too often ignored by the people in power.

This isn’t new. It’s who we are. From civil rights to voting rights to abortion access and disaster relief, we’ve been fighting. The rest of the country is just now catching on.

So let’s make sure the world sees what’s happening here and calls it what it is. Texans are standing up to fascism with everything they’ve got.

I’ve been saying it for years, but maybe now more folks will finally hear it. The frontlines of democracy run through Texas. And we need every voter, every organizer, every donor, every neighbor to rise up and make damn sure that in 2026, we flip this state and never let them steal it back again.

Let’s go win this thing.

• August 23: Last day of special session

• November 4: Constitutional/TX18/SD09 Election

• Who Will Be On The 2026 State Ballot?

• Who Will Be On The 2026 Federal Ballot?

• Click here to find out what Legislative districts you’re in.

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