By J. Lyn Carl, GalleryWatch.com
Ardmore, OK – The "Killer D's" who broke the quorum in the Texas House as a means of stalling a Congressional redistricting bill took dead aim at U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay and the Texas leadership today for their insistence on taking up the contentious issue of Congressional redistricting. And they are standing firm on using the House rules as an effective means of delivering their message.
It was the redistricting bill that was scheduled to come to the House floor Monday that caused the walkout by the more than 50 Democratic members of the Texas House. DeLay has indicated that he wants more Republican representation in Congress from Texas and has urged the Texas leadership to approve a new map that does just that.
Rep. Jim Dunnam (D-Waco), who orchestrated the walkout, said in a press conference in Ardmore today that the Democratic holdouts would "stay as long as it takes."
As long as the House does not have a quorum, its legislative agenda is shut down. Major bills must be out of the House by Thursday at midnight or they die.
"It would take about two minutes if the leadership in Austin would make the right decision," Dunnam said on the possibility of the Democrats returning to Austin. "The right decision is to say we will not have Congressional redistricting until the next census." But Dunnam said it would take a commitment from the governor, the lieutenant governor and the House speaker that the issue will not be debated before the Dems will return. They pointed out that House Speaker Tom Craddick has said since the walkout was reported that he will not negotiate.
And the message to Congressman DeLay? "Don't mess with Texas," says Dunnam. He said the Democrats did not choose the path of a walkout?Tom DeLay did.
"We're here for a purpose," said Dunnam. "These are folks that love democracy," he said of his 50 other House Democratic cohorts. "They are proud Texans." He said their action to leave the state and bust the quorum showed their "principles, courage, conviction and heart."
The Democrats took offense to being called cowardly by Craddick and Gov. Rick Perry. Dunnam said what is cowardly is, "To send Texas troopers across state lines after midnight to try to coerce or threaten members of the Texas Legislature to go back."
Dunnam said the Democrats see no reason to take up the highly partisan issue of congressional redistricting when the state is struggling with issues that affect all Texans - the state budget, public school finance, and health care. He said those issues are being "cast aside because of a power play by Tom DeLay."
"We're trying to get Texas government back on the right path," said Dunnam. "There are 51 of us here today. A quorum of the Texas House of Representatives will not meet without us."
Rep. Richard Raymond (D-Laredo) said it is the will of the people that governs, and one powerful member of Congress decided to "usurp the power of the Texas House."
Houston Rep. Senfronia Thompson agreed. "Partisan politics run by Washington is not the answer," she said.
DeKalb Rep. Barry Telford noted that the proposed Congressional redistricting plan would make "rural Texas totally beholding to suburbia" and that it would "utterly and completely" destroy rural Texas.
"The House is nothing if it is not a body of rules and precedent," said Telford. He asked what kind of precedent is set if outsiders in Washington are allowed to influence and dictate Texas Congressional redistricting.
"We are standing up and fighting for our constituents," said Telford. "The only thing we had left was to use the rules of the House to break a quorum."
Rep. Pete Gallegos of Alpine said accusations that the Democrats are running and hiding and that they are cowardly are "absolutely false."
"We are using the last tool in our toolbox to make sure our voice and the voices of the 150,000 or so we each represent are heard."
"It's not easy to get 50 members to agree on lunch," said Gallego, pointing to the magnitude of the agreement of the members to leave the state. He said they are all disappointed that redistricting has taken the forefront and other major issues affecting the state are being pushed aside.
"We are committed to our cause. We are committed to our constituents," said Rep. Garnet Coleman of Houston. He speculated that democracy would eventually win out over "excessive political greed."
Dallas Rep. Steve Wolens called the redistricting proposal one based on a "partisan, gerrymandered" map that was "initiated and orchestrated" by Washington politicians.
The House continues to stand at ease today. Craddick has issued a call for members in Austin to return at 2 p.m. to see if a quorum is present.