Originally posted by Evenodds 05-12-2003 at 04:24 PM on main thread.
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Angry Democrats boycott Texas House
AUSTIN, Texas, May 12 (UPI) -- Fifty-two angry Democrats refused to show up Monday in the Texas House, stalling action on a congressional redistricting bill backed by House Majority Leader Tom Delay, R-Texas.
Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick, R-Midland, immediately ordered the sergeant of arms to have them arrested and returned to the House but there were reports they had left the state, putting them out of the jurisdiction of state troopers. Craddick lacked a quorum to conduct business with the Democrats absent.
Republicans control the Legislature for the first time since Reconstruction but they need two-thirds of the 150 members present to conduct business. Ten other Democrats did not take part in the protest.
Letters from the 52 Democrats were presented to Craddick minutes before the session was to begin, informing him they would not be present. They asked that their voting machines be locked until they return to the House floor and request that their machines be unlocked.
In a statement, the boycotting Democrats laid the blame squarely DeLay.
Full text:
http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID...12-042506-7960r
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