Texas governor threatens to strip Dems of pay over voter suppression bill
Texas Democrats walked out its House chamber to halt the passage of a bill reducing poll hours and mail-in voting.
Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas has threatened Democrats in his state who have pushed back against a Republican-sponsored bill they claim will provide “election integrity.”
On Memorial Day, Abbott tweeted, “I will veto Article 10 of the budget passed by the legislature. Article 10 funds the legislative branch. No pay for those who abandon their responsibilities. Stay tuned.”
Democrats walked out of the state’s House chamber on Sunday to prevent the passage of Senate Bill 7, which would cut down on polling hours, reduce access to mail-in voting and give more authority to poll watchers.
The bill mirrors others being pushed through by Republican lawmakers in more than 40 states after the 2020 presidential election and “The Big Lie,” pushed by former President Donald Trump and his cronies, who claim the election was stolen from him by rampant fraud, claims that are completely unfounded and unproven.
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In a statement on Monday, Abbott also said he expects “legislators to have worked out their differences prior to arriving back at the Capitol so that they can hit the ground running to pass legislation related to these emergency items and other priority legislation.”
In an interview with Fox News, Abbott said, “We must have trust in the outcome of our elections. That’s why election integrity is an emergency item this session. I look forward to signing legislation that will ensure safe and secure elections in Texas.”
One Texas voter replied to Abbott on Twitter, writing, “There are no ‘election integrity’ issues in Texas; this false narrative is nothing more than a ploy to further suppress voting. Perhaps if you focused on things like fixing the power grid, you wouldn’t have to resort to dirty tricks to keep your seat.”
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On Saturday, Vice President Kamala Harris tweeted her support of the Democratic lawmakers in the Lone Star State. “Today, Texas legislators advanced a bill attacking the right to vote,” she noted. “It’s yet another assault on our democracy. Congress needs to pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.”
“We need to make it easier for eligible voters to vote,” Harris opined. “Not harder.”
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