AUSTIN, Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott filed an emergency petition Tuesday night to the Texas Supreme Court to remove House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Gene Wu for participating in the ongoing quorum break. The governor had previously threatened to “remove the missing Democrats from membership in the Texas House.”
This move comes after Wu, the Texas House Minority Leader, and more than 50 other Democrat lawmakers left the state to block mid-decade redistricting.
The following quote can be attributed to Oni K. Blair (she/her), executive director of the ACLU of Texas:
“Gov. Abbott’s attempt to remove democratically elected lawmakers is a dangerous effort to overturn elections and undermine our democracy. It’s especially hypocritical coming from a governor who is letting the 18th Congressional District — home to many Black and Brown Houstonians — sit empty for more than eight months.
“Whether pushing to oust elected officials or to redraw voting maps mid-decade, Abbott has shown he’s more interested in disenfranchising voters of color than in ensuring fair representation. Let’s be clear: In a democracy, it’s the will of the voters — not the will of the governor — that should decide who represents us.”
