Dems to return to Texas

[Khephra]

Dems to return to Texas
Senator says they won't come back to Austin until quorum achieved


04:17 AM CDT on Tuesday, September 9, 2003

By ROBERT T. GARRETT and WAYNE SLATER / The Dallas Morning News

The renegade Texas Democrats decided late Monday to leave the New Mexico hotel that they've made their home for the last six weeks and to come back to the state for a court hearing Thursday before returning to their homes.

"We will say goodbye to the great people of New Mexico, probably on Wednesday, and then we will be in court on Thursday" in Laredo, said Sen. Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio, chairwoman of the Senate Democratic caucus.

The runaway senators had vowed to stay out of Texas until another redistricting session was called and a quorum established on the Senate floor. However, Ms. Van de Putte said, the decision last week of Houston Democrat John Whitmire to return to Texas changed the other Democrats' thinking.

They will still stay out of Austin until Mr. Whitmire helps the Republicans reach the 21-member quorum needed to do business but will return to their families in Texas, she said.

more........................

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dallas/politics/state/stories/090903dntexremap.11203.html

[Democat]

1. Whitemire sold out America

Et tu, brute?

[UnapologeticLiberal]

2. Why are they going to help reach a quorum?

I thought they were blocking a quorum. Have they given up, after all this?

[Gingergal]

3. It is not over yet. Don't give up hope.

Is there any chance that Ratliff might just not show up and would be the 11th quorum breaker?

[sonias]

4. I'm hoping that too Gingergal

But at most all they could do is start the whole process over again and risk arrest, since the courts never settled the issue about wheather the Senate members could be arrested. Only the house members got that clearance thanks to Rep. Lon Burnam's lawsuit.

Would Ratliff risk arrest? Interesting visuals no doubt, he is his own man not controlled by DeLay. I'm sure the 10 solid Dems have posed this to him and who knows what will happen. Most think that this is the last term Ratliff will serve, he's sick of the petty politics of this state. I have no doubt that he will vote no on the plan since he represents a rural area and his constituents are against it. We all know however, that all they need is a majority and we know they have the 16 votes they need to pass it with or without Ratliff.

I'm still extremely proud of the 10 that held out for Democracy. For Whitmire to cash in for his personal benefit is something he will have to live with the rest of his life. I certainly wouldn't want that to be my legacy.

Sonia