BREAKING: Texas Abortion Bill Falls After Challenge ('Gallery Filibuster' PHOTOS, VIDEO) [View all]

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Last edited Wed Jun 26, 2013, 05:57 AM - Edit history (26)

Source: Associated Press / Guardian

The Associated Press @AP 11m
BREAKING: Texas lt. gov. reverses himself, declares vote on tough abortion bill came too late to pass.

https://twitter.com/AP/status/349795897737089024

Updated:

TEXAS ABORTION BILL FALLS AFTER CHALLENGE

By CHRIS TOMLINSON and JIM VERTUNO
— Jun. 26 4:01 AM EDT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas' lieutenant governor has acknowledged that Republicans missed their deadline to pass new abortion restrictions after protesters screamed down lawmakers as the final 15 minutes passed before the special legislative session's deadline.

Senators from both parties emerged from a private meeting with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and said they were about to officially acknowledge that fact.

Immediately following the vote, Republicans insisted they had started voting before the midnight deadline and passed the bill that Democrats spent much of Tuesday filibustering. But after official computer records and printouts of the voting record showed the vote took place Wednesday, and then were changed to read Tuesday, the senators convened for a private meeting.

More than 400 protesters erupted at 11:45 p.m. when Republicans suspended an 11-hour filibuster staged by Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth.



Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/texas-senator-filibusters-against-abortion-bill

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VIDEO: Planned Parenthood's Cecile Richards Announces SB-5 Fails to Pass

VIDEO: Texas Near-Ban on Abortion Foiled by People's 'Gallery Filibuster'

http://www.juancole.com/2013/06/abortion-gallery-filibuster.html

Posted on 06/26/2013 by Juan Cole

This is the “gallery filibuster” — shouting by pro-choice advocates in the Senate halls after Democratic Sen. Wendy Davis’s filibuster was shut down– that so delayed the vote on a proposed law virtually banning abortion in Texas that it took place too late to be valid.

#TIMESTAMPGATE: After A Crazy Night, This Photograph Helped Kill A Controversial Texas Abortion Bill

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023099905

http://www.businessinsider.com/texas-abortion-bill-timestampgate-2013-6

According to Jones, Republicans had to admit that that they were a few minutes late on the bill, when Texas State Senator Juan Chuy Hinojosa tweeted this photo showing that the initial readout of the vote indicated it happened on June 26, but that a subsequent readout had been changed, showing June 25.

The initial time stamp on the Capitol website and on Senate documents placed the vote at 12:02 or 12:03 on June 26. But then someone mysteriously changed the time stamp to make it appear SB 5 passed before the deadline (see the post below for photographic evidence). The time stamp evidence, circulated on Twitter, eventually forced GOP leaders to admit defeat, at least for tonight.

PHOTO: Hinojsa holds up document showing time change on SB 5:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023099395

(Hat-tip: The Straight Story)


EMAIL FROM SEN. WENDY DAVIS:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023099683 (Hat-tip: MagickMuffin)

Wow. What a day.

I cannot believe the amazing outpouring of support and encouragement that you delivered over the course of my 12 1/2 hour filibuster on the Senate floor.

This may seem hard to believe but I only have a few additional words to share at this time. First, I want to say an incredible and heartfelt thank you to the ten of thousands of Texans and Americans that offered their support and wishes of kindness throughout the day. Your presence at the capitol and your calls, emails, Facebook messages and tweets have sustained us and gave me the opportunity to make your voice heard.

Most importantly, I simply have no words to express my gratitude to those who lent their voice in the over 12,000 personal stories that you bravely and selflessly shared with me to object to this dangerous legislation.

Although I was the one with the microphone on the floor of the Senate today, it was your voice and your words – it was your filibuster.

Now we can’t fool ourselves. Governor Perry and the legislative leadership see their own political livelihood tied to denying women their full rights to make their own health decisions, and they won’t stop here.

I will admit I am a bit tired. But I’m ready to keep fighting and assure you I won’t stop. And, without a doubt I know you will never stop fighting for the Texas we love.

Thank you with all my heart and we will be back to fight another day.

Your friend and, proudly, your State Senator,

Wendy

PHOTOS:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023098499



https://twitter.com/shefalil/status/349739114616197120/photo/1




(Hat-tip: Cal04)




Opponents to an abortion bill sit in the senate chamber as Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, filibusters in an effort to kill the abortion bill, Tuesday, June 25, 2013, in Austin, Texas. The bill would ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy and force many clinics that perform the procedure to upgrade their facilities and be classified as ambulatory surgical centers. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)




Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, stands on a near empty senate floor as she filibusters in an effort to kill an abortion bill, Tuesday, June 25, 2013, in Austin, Texas. The bill would ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy and force many clinics that perform the procedure to upgrade their facilities and be classified as ambulatory surgical centers. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)




Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, wears tennis shoes in place of her dress shoes as she begins a one-woman filibuster in an effort to kill an abortion bill, Tuesday, June 25, 2013, in Austin, Texas. The bill would ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy and force many clinics that perform the procedure to upgrade their facilities and be classified as ambulatory surgical centers. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)


STORY AS IT DEVELOPED:

http://www.texastribune.org/2013/06/26/dems-approach-abortion-victory-special-session-wan

Texas senators are trying to get to the bottom of whether Republicans successfully pushed through a vote on Senate Bill 5, the omnibus abortion restriction bill, ahead of their midnight deadline.

Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, says the bill passed at 12:02 a.m.; if that's true, the vote may not withstand legal scrutiny.

"It's pretty conclusive that it didn't pass," said Whitmire.

But the Senate still has not officially adjourned sine die. When Senators resume floor proceedings, Whitmire said Democrats will call a point of order on the motion to vote on a bill after the midnight deadline.

http://www.texastribune.org/2013/06/26/dems-approach-abortion-victory-special-session-wan

@AP: BREAKING: Republicans pass new restrictions expected to close almost every abortion clinic in Texas.

@CBSNews: BREAKING NEWS: Texas Republicans pass strict new abortion curbs, overcoming long filibuster, and chaos in Senate chamber as deadline neared

@guardian: Gallery has taken over the Texas abortion filibuster with ten minutes left. Cheering disrupting the roll call vote. http://t.co/9MX4I6sKwY

@BreakingNews: Validity of Texas Senate vote over abortion bill is currently unclear - @TexasTribune

@mikestatesman: Senate just ordered senators back for a caucus to determine whether they passes SB5. Just when you thought it couldn't get stranger. #txlege

http://www.guardiannews.com/world/2013/jun/25/texas-senator-wendy-davis-filibuster-abortion

Tuesday 25 June 2013 17.48 EDT

Texas senator Wendy Davis stages marathon filibuster against abortion bill

State politician must speak for 13 hours in order to prevent stringent bill reaching the desk of governor Rick Perry

Amanda Holpuch and Helen Davidson

A Texas senator, Wendy Davis, has launched a marathon filibuster of an abortion bill that would severely restrict abortion access in the state.

To be successful, Davis must talk for 13 hours, during which she will not be allowed to sit, lean or take any breaks to go to the bathroom or eat. She is only allowed to stop speaking when listening to questions.

The Democrat senator is attempting to prevent the stringent bill from reaching the desk of Texas governor Rick Perry. The bill would ban abortion at 20 weeks gestation, place limits on abortion-inducing drugs and introduce other restrictions that advocates say would close 37 of the 42 clinics that provide abortions in the state.

The Texas House version of Senate Bill 5 passed on Monday morning, after major stalling by House Democrats. Davis's filibuster began at 11.18am CDT on Tuesday. She has argued her case by reading letters from women and doctors who would be impacted by the bill and speaking with politicians from both sides of the aisle.

VIDEO: Young Turks Explain Texas Bill & Its Implications