Texas high court rejects removal of Democratic lawmakers who led quorum break over redistricting
The all-Republican court said the Legislature had already restored quorum and left open future action if lawmakers again block business.
- On Friday, the Texas Supreme Court rejected Gov. Greg Abbott's emergency petition to remove Houston Rep. Gene Wu, ruling the Legislature successfully restored a quorum without judicial intervention.
- Abbott argued that Wu abandoned his office by decamping to Illinois to stall the GOP's map, claiming Wu's departure signaled intent to run out the clock on the special session.
- Wu's lawyers contended he was representing constituents by opposing legislation and argued he "has not died and has not been expelled from the House by the constitutionally prescribed means: a 2/3 vote."
- Justice James Sullivan warned in a concurring opinion that future quorum breakers "had better be ready to pay us a visit," signaling potential Supreme Court intervention in subsequent breaks.
- Quorum breaking has a long history in Texas politics, with Democrats fleeing in 2003 and 2021 to delay redistricting and voting restrictions; the Texas Constitution requires two-thirds attendance.
77 Articles
77 Articles
Texas Supreme Court Rejects Abbott Effort to Remove Democrats From Office
HOUSTON — The Texas Supreme Court on Friday rejected an attempt by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott to remove Democratic lawmakers from office, ending a high-stakes legal battle that began when the lawmakers fled the state to delay a Republican redistricting drive last year. Chief Justice James D. Blacklock wrote in his decision that the court did not need to intervene in a political disagreement between two branches of the state government — a dispu…
Justices reject effort to remove Dem legislators
The Texas Supreme Court rejected Gov. Greg Abbott’s efforts to remove Houston Rep. Gene Wu from office Friday, saying that the Legislature was able to secure House Democrats’ attendance and restore a quorum last summer without involvement from the court.
Texas Supreme Court rejects request to remove lawmakers who broke quorum over redistricting
AUSTIN (KVIA) -- Friday, the Texas Supreme Court rejected Governor Greg Abbott's and Attorney General Ken Paxton's request to remove Democrats who left the state during last year's special legislative session. Chief Justice James Blacklock said in a court opinion the petition was rejected because the "quorum-breaking" issue resolved with constitutional methods. Some state legislators left the state Aug. 3, 20205, in an attempt to block voting du…
Greg Abbott fails in court request to oust Democrats who broke quorum
The Texas Supreme Court rejected on a Friday a request from Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) to oust Democratic lawmakers who fled the state legislature last summer to protest their Republican counterparts’ mid-decade redistricting efforts, which were ultimately successful. Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton argued that by breaking quorum, Democrats “abandoned or forfeited their offices.” A quorum requires at least two-thirds of the 150-member …
AG Greg Abbott loses battle in Texas war
The Texas Supreme Court on Friday refused to declare that Democratic lawmakers who illegally fled the state in 2025 to block a vote on new congressional maps pushed by President Donald Trump had vacated their office. The all-Republican court dealt a blow to Gov. Greg Abbott and state Republicans in their efforts to severely punish the more than 50 Democrats who left for New York, Illinois, and Massachusetts and hid in a bid to stop a vote on the…
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