Rep. Nicole Collier, the Democratic state lawmaker who spent Monday night inside the Texas Capitol, is asking a court to let her exit the building, alleging she’s facing “illegal restraint by the government” after she was told she needs a police escort to leave.

The Fort Worth lawmaker and dozens of other Democrats left Texas earlier this month to delay a vote on a GOP-led plan to redraw the state’s congressional map.

The Democrats returned to Texas in recent days and they were given state police escorts to ensure they will show up when the state House convenes Wednesday, but Collier refused to sign a “permission slip” to be under escort by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Collier says she slept on the House floor overnight.

    • Revan343@lemmy.ca
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      3 days ago

      Because if they stay gone long enough, their position can be declared abandoned and they can legally be replaced

    • delgato@sh.itjust.works
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      3 days ago

      It’s the same issue that plagues every person that is soberly seeing the collapse of American democracy. We all want to take a stand but at the end of the day these Texas Dems need to get back home for family, be in their districts with their constituents, and somehow go on with life. Even though everything is on the line it’s still not enough to loose yet for people, including the larger Texas populace.