Come and Take It
The lead story on “Today” this morning on Texas State House Democrats is the featured photo. The move by Democrats was expected and now Gov. Greg Abbott is trying to come off as a tough guy. See this from the Trib today:
Gov. Greg Abbott informed Texas House Democrats late Sunday that he would attempt to have them removed from office if they do not return to Austin to pass the GOP’s proposed new congressional maps.
The Republican governor’s late-night missive came after more than 50 Democrats left the state Sunday afternoon so the Texas House would not have a quorum — the number of lawmakers needed to consider and pass legislation under chamber rules — aiming to grind all legislative activity to a halt for the remainder of the special session, slated to end later this month They are hoping to stop the passage of a new congressional map, drawn at the direction of President Donald Trump, that could net five additional seats for Republicans in the 2026 midterms.
“This truancy ends now,” Abbott said in a letter sent to each of the departed members. “The derelict Democrat House members must return to Texas and be in attendance when the House reconvenes at 3:00 PM on Monday, August 4, 2025.”
If they are not back by then, Abbott said, he would initiate legal action to remove them from office. He cited a nonbinding 2021 legal opinion from Attorney General Ken Paxton, who said it would be up to a court to decide whether a lawmaker who had left the state to deny quorum had forfeited their office. If a court were to decide that the legislators had vacated their offices, Abbott would be permitted to fill those seats with appointees of his choosing, Paxton’s opinion stated.
Abbott further alleged members could face felony charges for fundraising to pay the $500 fine they will each accrue every day they are away from Austin during the session. Lawmakers who are “soliciting funds to evade the fines they will incur under House rules” may be violating bribery laws, Abbott said, adding that anyone who donates to the cause could also be liable.
The governor said he would move to extradite “any potential out-of-state felons.” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said at Sunday’s press conference that he would do whatever he could to help Texas lawmakers while they were on the lam.
“We’re going to do everything we can to protect every single one of them,” Pritzker said.
The Texas House Democratic Caucus, the organizing group for House Democrats, responded to Abbott’s threats with a four-word statement that read, “Come and take it.”
Here is the entire read: Abbott threatens Texas Dems with removal if they deny quorum | The Texas Tribune.
This is shameful behavior from Gov. Abbott. State Rep. Christina Morales is my state representative, and she is in the Land of Lincoln. I don’t take too kindly to the threats begin made by Abbott. The voters of House District 145 elected Rep. Morales and we will decide how long she represents us. Calling Texas State House Democrats truants, derelicts, and felons is pretty much par for a fella who has his head squarely up Donald Trump’s arse. What a piece.
Trump has taken Texas MAGA to the lowest of lows for sure. Decency is not part of their vocabulary.
Meanwhile, Hill Country folks won’t find relief during this special legislative session, thanks to Texas MAGA.
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Here is a headline on the Chron’s webpage:
Kroger will permanently close one of its Heights stores
Here is the headline of the story:
Kroger will permanently close store in northwest Houston
Here is the story:
The Hammerly Plaza Kroger Store in northwest Houston will close its doors next month, the store told the Houston Chronicle.
The store is at 2300 Gessner. It will close on Sept. 30.
When Kroger announced its first quarter results in June, the grocer revealed that it was planning to close 60 stores in the next 18 months. At the time, it did not disclose which locations would be shut down. Employees at the stores being closed will be offered positions at other locations, the company said.
This store isn’t in the Heights. It is more like in Spring Branch.
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I don’t have much to say after being swept at Fenway this past weekend other than to say the last time Texas House Democrats went on a quorum break, the Astros went to the World Series. That was in 2021.