If the Texas Democrats who fled the state to obstruct a voting bill need anything, it’s a new copying staffer. They filed a lawsuit against Governor Greg Abbott, house speaker Dade Phelan (R), and State Rep. James White (R) and the copy that can be found here is egregious. Somebody should lose their job from this atrocity of a filing job.
The lawsuit claims that Governor Abbott has violated their constitutional rights and “The suit arises out of deliberate acts of status discrimination, as well as discriminatory policies, customs, and practices, perpetrated by Defendants against Plaintiffs. And the putative class that has disparately impacted all persons of each Plaintiffs’ status group. The claims in this suit also include damages resulting from actions taken against Plaintiffs because of their status.”
Of course, it’s rubbish. The action was filed because Abbott, Phelan, and White infringed on their first amendment rights to free expression and petition the government. They had their freedom of speech but chose to leave Texas and go to Washington in an attempt to halt a bill from passing, and then when Governor Abbott said they would be arrested, they filed a lawsuit.
Do the Democrats claim that they have a right to freedom from arrest? The house speaker in Texas can sign civil arrest warrants, and the Democrats will be arrested when they return to Texas, and he has. Phelan signed one civil arrest warrant for a Democrat who returned to Texas to try and negotiate the bill but then fled back to Washington, D.C.
The lawsuit also claims, the “Plaintiffs have been deprived of liberty for substantial periods, faced a great deal of anguish and distress as a result of their separation from their families, as well as much discomfort and embarrassment, and their reputations have been harmed. And have lost time from their homes and the companionship and care of their families. They have been required to spend substantial sums of time and money and of time traveling to and from the State of Texas to persuade Congress to pass laws to ameliorate the harm done and redress their grievances.”
Jasmine Crockett told CNN that “The chartered flights were not paid for by taxpayer money. We have people that are supporting us, such as Beto O’Rourke. We have people that are interested in seeing that democracy prevails.” And another Democrat said that his campaign funds paid for the entire group’s hotel rooms. Terrible living.
The Democrats have created this position for themselves, nobody else’s fault except their own. Nobody feels sorry for them, so they should wipe up their tears. When this goes to court, it’ll be hilarious, and we’ll all be watching.
