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Liquor Dealer · 05-13-2003, 10:32 AM

A bit of history- Democrats ruled Austin forever - the Republicans finally gained a majority and are sorta' acting like the Democrats have been acting for years - The Democrats don't like it being turned around!

Democrats in Texas House Stage Walkout

Monday, May 12, 2003

AUSTIN, Texas — Almost all of the Democratic members of the state House failed to show up Monday morning, preventing the GOP-dominated body from convening because of a lack of a quorum.

DeLay Proposes Texas District Map
Here's what started this mess:

Thursday, April 17, 2003

WASHINGTON — A top congressional Democrat says a redistricting map that House Majority Leader Tom DeLay sent state lawmakers would eliminate five Democratic congressmen and provides no new representation for minorities.

The map hasn't been officially made public but has been circulating in Austin and in Washington since late last week. It drew immediate criticism from Rep. Martin Frost, D-Arlington, who led Democrats' redistricting efforts nationwide in 2000.

GOP officials had earlier threatened to send police after the missing Democrats. The would-be quorum-busters planned to leave the state to avoid being located by the Department of Public Safety or Texas Rangers, who could detain them and forcibly return them to the House floor, a source said.

In the first quorum-breaking in the state in more than 20 years, letters from 53 of the House's 62 Democrats informed the leadership they would be absent.

"I do not know where they are," said Tamara Bell, chief of staff for House Democratic Caucus Chairman Jim Dunnam.

But - She lied:

AUSTIN, Texas — State troopers found Democratic lawmakers in Oklahoma after they brought the Texas House to a standstill by going into hiding, but the legislators declined to return to the state Capitol.

The Republican leaders sent the troopers to Ardmore, Okla., on Monday to ask the Democrats to return. The lawmakers left Austin on Sunday, after days of strategizing to waylay a contentious GOP-led battle to redraw the state's congressional lines.

The absence of the 58 Democrats denied the House its required 100-member quorum. The boycott capped months of tension between Democrats and the newly-in-control Republicans over a bill to limit lawsuits and a GOP budget that would make deep spending cuts without raising taxes.

The missing Democratic lawmakers spent Monday in a hotel conference room, where large sheets of paper taped to the walls were used as makeshift chalkboards and long tables were filled with laptop computers, stacks of papers and notebooks.

Found one of 'em by golly!

AUSTIN — A state trooper has arrested a missing Texas House Democrat and returned her to the Capitol.

News Eight Austin reports the trooper from the Texas Department of Public Safety captured state Rep. Helen Giddings this morning.

It reported the trooper approached the Dallas Democrat as she was getting into her car at her Austin apartment. She later said she had asked to be allowed to drive to the Capitol in her own car, but the trooper refused and arrested her.

Republican Gov. Rick Perry lambasted the Democrats for deserting the Legislature, saying "we might as well shut this building down and let it become a museum because the work of the people is through."

The remaining House Republicans spent hours of idle time locked in the chamber constructing signs and gimmicks ridiculing their Democratic colleagues. A pair of milk cartons circulated around the chamber, plastered with the faces of missing Democrats.

05-13-2003, 10:32 AM	#1 (permalink)
Liquor Dealer Super Agitator Location: Just SW of Nowhere!!! In the good old US of A	Texas deals with those damn Democrats! A bit of history- Democrats ruled Austin forever - the Republicans finally gained a majority and are sorta' acting like the Democrats have been acting for years - The Democrats don't like it being turned around! Democrats in Texas House Stage Walkout Monday, May 12, 2003 AUSTIN, Texas — Almost all of the Democratic members of the state House failed to show up Monday morning, preventing the GOP-dominated body from convening because of a lack of a quorum. DeLay Proposes Texas District Map Here's what started this mess: Thursday, April 17, 2003 WASHINGTON — A top congressional Democrat says a redistricting map that House Majority Leader Tom DeLay sent state lawmakers would eliminate five Democratic congressmen and provides no new representation for minorities. The map hasn't been officially made public but has been circulating in Austin and in Washington since late last week. It drew immediate criticism from Rep. Martin Frost, D-Arlington, who led Democrats' redistricting efforts nationwide in 2000. GOP officials had earlier threatened to send police after the missing Democrats. The would-be quorum-busters planned to leave the state to avoid being located by the Department of Public Safety or Texas Rangers, who could detain them and forcibly return them to the House floor, a source said. In the first quorum-breaking in the state in more than 20 years, letters from 53 of the House's 62 Democrats informed the leadership they would be absent. "I do not know where they are," said Tamara Bell, chief of staff for House Democratic Caucus Chairman Jim Dunnam. But - She lied: AUSTIN, Texas — State troopers found Democratic lawmakers in Oklahoma after they brought the Texas House to a standstill by going into hiding, but the legislators declined to return to the state Capitol. The Republican leaders sent the troopers to Ardmore, Okla., on Monday to ask the Democrats to return. The lawmakers left Austin on Sunday, after days of strategizing to waylay a contentious GOP-led battle to redraw the state's congressional lines. The absence of the 58 Democrats denied the House its required 100-member quorum. The boycott capped months of tension between Democrats and the newly-in-control Republicans over a bill to limit lawsuits and a GOP budget that would make deep spending cuts without raising taxes. The missing Democratic lawmakers spent Monday in a hotel conference room, where large sheets of paper taped to the walls were used as makeshift chalkboards and long tables were filled with laptop computers, stacks of papers and notebooks. Found one of 'em by golly! AUSTIN — A state trooper has arrested a missing Texas House Democrat and returned her to the Capitol. News Eight Austin reports the trooper from the Texas Department of Public Safety captured state Rep. Helen Giddings this morning. It reported the trooper approached the Dallas Democrat as she was getting into her car at her Austin apartment. She later said she had asked to be allowed to drive to the Capitol in her own car, but the trooper refused and arrested her. Republican Gov. Rick Perry lambasted the Democrats for deserting the Legislature, saying "we might as well shut this building down and let it become a museum because the work of the people is through." The remaining House Republicans spent hours of idle time locked in the chamber constructing signs and gimmicks ridiculing their Democratic colleagues. A pair of milk cartons circulated around the chamber, plastered with the faces of missing Democrats. __________________ Life isn't always a bowl of cherries, sometimes it's more like a jar of Jalapenos --- what you say or do today might burn your ass tomorrow!!!