Texas House votes to continue search for holdout Democrat members

Earlier Tuesday, the state Supreme Court put the brakes on a ruling by a Travis County judge on a specific House rule to help round up the Democrats.

AUSTIN, Texas - The stalled second Special Session of the Texas Legislature continued Tuesday afternoon with a big question: how many more House Democrats, who fled Austin to break quorum, would return to the chamber.

"So my home county of Harris, we are missing 14 or 24, Dallas County missing 11 of 14. Travis County, your viewers, zero for eight," said House Republican Caucus chairman Jim Murphy (R-Houston). "So we need these people to come here and help shape the policies and represent their constituencies that’s what we try to do."

At the time Murphy was cautiously optimistic the situation in the House could be changing. Democrat holdouts state Reps. Joe Moody (D-El Paso), Mary Gonzalez (D-Clint), and James Talarico (D-Round Rock) were in the chamber Monday.

FOX 7 Discussion: Standoff continues into 2nd Texas Special Session

Eddy Carder, PhD and Constitutional law professor at Prairie View A&M University, joins FOX 7's John Krinjak to discuss the second Special Session.

Earlier Tuesday, the state Supreme Court also put the brakes on a ruling by a Travis County judge that granted a temporary restraining order (TRO) on a specific House rule to help round up the Democrats. The Supreme Court stay on the TRO keeps open the possibility the House Speaker will issue civil arrest warrants against the holdout Democrats.

"I’m hoping no one has to be arrested, that would be the best of all worlds, they simply show up," said Murphy.

State Rep. Celia Israel (D-Austin) is among the House Democrats back from DC and on Tuesday she made it clear a trip to the State Capitol from her house isn’t part of her plan. "I’m not interested in helping this governor make quorum," said Israel.

By staying out, controversial bills Israel is against will continue to be held up. "So every day we are not on the House floor dealing with things like hurting trans athletes is a good day," said Israel.

Second Special Session begins, Texas House Democrats again break quorum

Most of the 57 Democrats who left Austin have so far remained in D.C. In order to prevent a quorum, 51 Democrats need to remain out of the House chamber.

There are several critical budget and COVID-19 funding issues on the Governor’s Call. Without some type of compromise, those items will once again become casualties of the holdout.

"He made that move, that’s on him. It was a huge mistake on his part to hold non-partisan people hostage," said Israel.

Finding a way to move forward from this political impasse continues to be evasive. "The governor has put us in a very difficult position," said Israel.

A total of 93 House members were counted in the voted on the measure to compel the Democrats to come back. That means as of Tuesday the House chamber is seven representatives shy of making quorum.

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Second Special Session begins, Texas House Democrats again break quorum
This Week in Texas Politics: Special Session, the border and COVID-19
Governor Greg Abbott calls second Special Session, Dems still in D.C.
Abbott to call 'special session after special session' to make fleeing Dems consider voting bill
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