By J. Lyn Carl, GalleryWatch.com
Austin, TX – Flanked by a sea of television camera crews and reporters, a teary-eyed Rep. Helen Giddings (D-Dallas) returned to the House today to hold a conference with House Speaker Tom Craddick and the media, with hopes of finding middle ground on the controversial congressional redistricting bill that has driven House Democrats to absenteeism and stalled all action in the House.
"Since I've been in the House, I have tried to be an honest broker for finding common ground," said Giddings, who was also joined by returning Democrats Al Edwards (D-Houston) and Harold Dutton, Jr. (D-Houston). "Unfortunately, the middle ground is not real fertile right now."
Giddings said she spoke on behalf of the 50-odd runaway Democratic members of the House who left the state to bust a House quorum and stop legislative activity. Located by Texas Department of Public Safety officers last night in Ardmore, OK., at a Holiday Inn, the group has pledged not to return to the House until the redistricting bill is removed from the calendar.
"This is an appeal to save hundreds of bills. We know if congressional redistricting is removed from the calendar, the Democrats will come back."
Giddings said there are major issues to be dealt with for the remainder of the session, such as school finance and health care coverage for children and the elderly, and that putting redistricting on the agenda during these crucial final weeks is wrong. "This is precedent-setting. There is no compelling reason to do this right now," she said. "In this period of transition, it is clear to me that this is the wrong move to make."
When asked if she was escorted to the capitol upon her return this morning, Giddings responded, "I was actually getting into my car. Yes, I was driven." She was driven there by arresting officers of the DPS, who have been instructed to arrest and return non-excused members to the capitol.
She said she was dismayed at the manner in which she was greeted upon arriving at the capitol today. "I thought I'd come in the back way. But I was a little bit offended that some of my colleagues wanted to pull me out and verify me." She said she understood that was their position, however, since "everyone seems to have one lately."
Still, Giddings appeared to be greeted warmly by Republican colleagues and became visibly emotional when welcomed back by her floor desk mate.
Dutton expressed anger that "People outside this legislative body are dictating to the people inside," pointing to Washington politics attempting to govern state business. "Congressional redistricting has only served one purpose: to divide people and create havoc with this process."
Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-Houston), one of few Democrats who did not leave the state, said that passing the budget is and should be the number one issue for Texas legislators, not congressional redistricting. "This has been a very tough session with some big issues. But the number one issue is that we have to pass a budget. If you don't do that, you won't have anything. This is not a chicken and egg question."
"Now we're dealing with an issue that has stopped the Legislature - congressional redistricting. All of us agree that this should not be on the calendar. All of us ask the leadership to pull congressional redistricting off this calendar," he said.
Edwards said he wanted to clarify that Democrats are "not hiding, ducking and dodging" but instead trying to appeal for what the greater good is for Texans. "I understand a lot of this is coming from Washington and from (U.S. Congressman) Tom Delay. We must run Texas because that's what we're put here to do. Not Tom Delay, Not George W. Bush."
He said between 125 to 150 bills were lost today as a result of stalled House business. "Come on guys, let's move above party politics and personal egos. I suggest for the sake of children and old folks, it doesn't matter who makes the first move. We're talking about a $117 billion budget standing still."
Turner concluded the conference by restating the Democratic message: "If congressional redistricting is removed from the calendar, they will be back by Thursday."