Recently, Democrat lawmakers who fled Texas in order to disrupt quorum made an unsavory comparison between their predicament and slavery. The legislators wanted to disrupt quorum in order to block the passage of a GOP-spearheaded election bill, which was designed to protect voter integrity.
Senfronia Thompson, one of the Texas State Representatives, claimed that Governor Greg Abbott’s threat to arrest the rebellious lawmakers upon their return is comparable to past tragedies, wherein slaves were returned to slaveowners after attempting to flee the plantation.
In a recent speech in Alexandria, Virginia, Thompson proclaimed that the Democrat lawmakers “refuse to be a hostage.”
She added that she is aware of the current search warrants that have emerged for the lawmakers who fled the state, insisting that she is “ready to be arrested.”
Thompson continued onwards to liken her supposed plight to the plight of slaves, asserting, “what do you do to a slave if you don’t do nothing but arrest them when they flee.” She continued onwards to challenge Governor Abbott, proclaiming “if they want to arrest me, go ahead,” reaffirming that she is “ready to be arrested.”
"We refuse to be [hostages]…I am an American and I want to vote."
We are simply asking for the right to vote. Democrats like Dean @Senfronia4Texas will fight as long as it takes to combat the exclusionary and discriminatory voter suppression attempts by Republicans. #txlege pic.twitter.com/b1WDc14ikK
— Texas House Democrats (@TexasHDC) July 17, 2021
The Texas Governor has issued threats against of multiple dozens of state legislators who deliberately left Texas, adding that he intends to arrest them upon their return to the state.
In addition, Abbott also insisted that he would continue to call for special sessions until all necessary legislative business has been completed.
Abbott argued that he “can and will” continue to call for multiple special sessions, or “special session after special session” all the way up through midterm elections in 2022.
Consequently, if the lawmakers want to continue “hanging out wherever they’re hanging out” on a “junket” entirely paid for by taxpayers, they are “going to have to be prepared to do it for well over a year,” Abbott continued.
The Democrat legislators who abdicated their responsibilities fled to Washington D.C. in order to meet with various Democrat members of Congress. In addition, the lawmakers also met with Vice President Kamala Harris in order to discuss election reforms on the federal level.
However, in spite of these meetings, media reports have focused more intensely on the fact that the Texas Democrats’ trip to the capital of the nation has transformed into a super-spreader event, given that at least six members of the delegation have subsequently tested positive for COVID. In addition, one of Pelosi’s top aides has since tested positive for COVID after meeting with the Texas legislators. A White House staffer who then interacted with Pelosi’s aide has since tested positive for COVID.