Texas House Blocks Pay for AWOL Dems, Abbott Warns GOP Could Go Even Bigger
The article discusses the ongoing standoff in the Texas State House, where Democratic lawmakers have fled the state to break quorum and block the passage of a Republican-led redistricting plan that would possibly increase GOP seats in Congress. While democrats are in the minority, their absence stalls legislative business during a special session called by Governor Greg Abbott.
In response, Texas Republicans, including House Speaker Dustin Burrows, have taken measures such as suspending direct deposit of lawmakers’ paychecks until a quorum is restored. Additionally, threats are being made to strip absent Democrats of perks like seniority, parking spots, and committee chairmanships.
Governor Abbott has warned that if Democrats continue their absence, he will expand the redistricting plan to favor Republicans even more, potentially increasing GOP seats from five to eight. Abbott also criticized the Democrats’ walkout as childish and argued that this tactic only strengthens Republican support in Texas. The FBI has indicated it will cooperate with Texas officials to locate the missing Democratic lawmakers.
Abbott further used the situation to highlight what he sees as widespread gerrymandering in Democrat-controlled states, contrasting it with Texas’s efforts. the article portrays an intensifying political battle in Texas with Republicans applying pressure to force Democrats back to work and pass the contested redistricting legislation.
As Texas State House Democrats continue to be anywhere but Austin, Republicans are turning up the heat.
Although the Democrats are a minority in the Texas Legislature, their absence prevents the body from having a quorum, which means no business gets done in a special session called to pass redistricting legislation that would put Democrats in a deeper hole in Congress.
Even if Democrats run out the clock for which the session was called, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has the power to call more special sessions.
On Friday, Texas Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows said that as long as Democrats remain absent, they will have to actually show up to collect their paychecks.
Direct deposit will be paused until a quorum in the House exists, according to KFOX-TV.
HOLY CRAP! The Texas House is REVOKING the automatic check deposit ability of ANY Dem who didn’t appear solely to break quorum.
They have to appear on the grounds to obtain their pay.
This is how you do it! pic.twitter.com/Ddq6NgV3oR
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) August 8, 2025
Although it remains unclear who has the power to do what, the FBI has said it will work with Texas officials to locate Democrats who fled the state.
One legislator said a war on perks of the job may be in the near future.
“This hasn’t dropped yet, but I have heard that they could lose their seniority, parking spots, chairmanships. I think that’s next on the books,” Republican State Rep. Shelley Luther said, according to WFAA-TV.
Meanwhile, Abbott said the redistricting plan that could give the GOP five more House seats may undergo some revisions Democrats will find even more distasteful than the current plan upon which they do not want to vote.
“What I’m thinking now is that if they don’t start showing up, I may start expanding,” Abbott said, according to Fox News.
“We may make it six or seven or eight new seats we’re going to be adding on the Republican side,” he hinted.
Abbott said Democrats will lose their battle sooner or later.
“They’re going to come back, or we’ll be able to track them down. One way or the other, they’re coming back, and it’s going to end with these maps being passed,” Abbott said.
“How embarrassing is that?” Abbott said of the tactic.
“That’s something that school kids do, you know, ‘I’m losing the game! I’m just gonna walk away and leave.’ That’s not the way adults operate. It’s not the way that employees operate. But know this, Texans, that’s the way your Texas Democrats operate, and that’s exactly why more and more Texans are voting Republican than ever before,” he continued.
🚨 HUGE NEWS: Texas Governor Greg Abbott threatens to INCREASE the US House redistricting gain for Republicans from 5 to *8* SEATS if Democrats don’t come back and allow a quorum.
LMAO. So their antics are only making it worse 🤣
THAT’S how you respond.
“What I’m thinking now… pic.twitter.com/sqiUX4f4vB
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 8, 2025
Abbott said the stunt has shown to the nation how much Democrat-run states ensure redistricting artificially props up the Democrats in Congress.
“Americans have now realized how gerrymandered all these blue states are,” Abbott said.
“They now see that map in Illinois, they’ve seen the map in New York, they see that 40% of the people in Massachusetts voted for President Trump, and yet there are zero Republican congressional districts there,” Abbott noted. “Look at what happened in California. The worst examples of gerrymandering are Democrat states. And now Americans have realized that.”
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