Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says he intends to withhold paychecks to state lawmakers after House Democrats staged a walkout to block voting restrictions proposed by their Republican counterparts.
Texas Gov Greg Abbott pictured in March. He has threatened to block the pay of lawmakers who left the state House chamber rather than vote on a bill they say would make it harder to vote. LM Otero/AP
A large group of Democrats walked out of the House chamber in Austin late Sunday, so there was no quorum and that prevented a final vote on the proposal, Senate Bill 7. The bill, which had appeared poised for passage, would cut back polling hours, reduce access to mail-in voting, and give more authority to partisan poll-watchers.
Voting rights advocates say those and other provisions of the bill would make voting more difficult in Texas, and would disproportionately burden people of color. There's been no evidence of significant voter fraud in Texas or elsewhere.
On Twitter, Abbott said he would veto Article 10 of the state budget, which funds the legislative branch.
"No pay for those who abandon their responsibilities," he said. He did not provide further details, but added, "Stay tuned."
I will veto Article 10 of the budget passed by the legislature.
Article 10 funds the legislative branch.
No pay for those who abandon their responsibilities.
Stay tuned.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 31, 2021
Abbott also has said he intends to order lawmakers back to Austin to complete work on the bill.
The fight in the Texas Legislature comes as Republican state lawmakers across the country work to pass legislation they say is designed to crack down on voter fraud, but which would have the effect of making voting more difficult in many communities. Lawmakers in several states have introduced similar legislation, motivated at least in part by former President Donald Trump's continued promotion of the "Big Lie" that the 2020 election was somehow stolen, despite evidence to the contrary.
Those states include Georgia, where Democrats prevailed in the presidential contest for the first time in nearly 30 years, thanks in large part to grassroots organizers like Stacey Abrams, who worked to turn out younger voters and people of color ahead of Election Day.
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