JUST IN – Texas Supreme Court issues stay on restraining order blocking arrest of House Democrats who fled. Now allow for arrest of Democrats who remain absent amid second special session. pic.twitter.com/JEcifQpyKH
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Here’s more from The Hill:
The Texas Supreme Court ruled that state Democrats who fled to Washington, D.C. to block the passage of a GOP-backed elections overhaul bill can be arrested and brought back to the state capitol.
The ruling from the high court comes hours after Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and House Speaker Dade McPhelan (R) asked the court to block an order from a Travis County Judge stopping the state from exercising its authority to arrest the lawmakers.
The Republicans wanted the court to overturn the order by 5 p.m.
Renae Eze, a spokesperson for Abbott, said in a statement to The Hill that the court “swiftly rejected this dangerous attempt by Texas Democrats to undermine our Constitution and avoid doing the job they were elected to do.”
“We look forward to the Supreme Court upholding the rule of law and stopping another stall tactic by the Texas Democrats,” Eze said.
Some Democrats slowly began returning to the Lone Star state this week, but Republicans just barely missed the 100-member quorum that is needed to end the standoff. According to CBS Dallas-Ft. Worth, less than half of the lawmakers who fled in July are still in D.C.
