Republican State Senators Vote To Fine Walkout Democrats

[VaLabor]

Republican State Senators Vote To Fine Walkout Democrats

Republican state senators have voted to fine eleven Texas Senate Democrats who are in New Mexico to block G-O-P backed congressional redistricting.

SNIP

The fine is one-thousand dollars per senator for each day they're absent from the second special session on redistricting.



http://www.kwtx.com/news/stories/August/8_12/fine.htm

[davidinalameda]

1. let's have a fundraiser

because this is not going to come out of anyone's pocket

this is the silliest thing I've seen

[goforit]

14. Fabulous idea!!!...........Send them (gop) monopoly $$$

And we'll send the DEMS....Get out of jail free cards!!!

No but really we need to send the dems all the money they need!!!

They are worth a billion to me if I had it.

[VaLabor]

2. Here's more

Remaining senators vote to fine 11 Democrats
05:21 PM CDT on Tuesday, August 12, 2003

Associated Press


AUSTIN – Republican senators remaining in Texas voted Tuesday to fine the 11 self-exiled Democrats who are holed up in a New Mexico hotel for each day they are absent from a second special session on redistricting.

Without objection, the Republicans and one Democratic senator approved a resolution to fine the lawmakers starting at $1,000 a day, and the fine would double each day for each day they miss the session. The fine is not to exceed $5,000 a day.

Senators took the vote as the Democrats mark their 16th day in Albuquerque in protest over congressional redistricting.

The senators in Austin voted on the resolution after spending several hours behind closed doors in a meeting.

At a news conference in Albuquerque on Tuesday morning, Senate Democrats said they hoped their colleagues would not try to levy fines. They contend such fines are illegal because Senate rules for sanctions call for nothing more than arrest by the sergeant-at-arms. Several also said they would not pay any fines.

Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, called the proposed fine a poll tax.

"I won't pay it," he said.

Sens. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, and John Whitmire, D-Houston, said they were frustrated that after the Democrats have spent three weeks in New Mexico, Republicans still view their absence as a publicity stunt.

"They just don't get it. ... We're here out of conviction and we're not going to yield" to a redistricting that would disenfranchise the Democrats' constituents, Whitmire said.

MORE:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dallas/politics/state/stories/081303dntexredist_early.3d03e.html

[kainah]

3. if they don't have a quorum

how can this be legally binding?

[Booberdawg]

11. This doesn't look good ..

From the article:

"The Texas Constitution says lawmakers "can compel the attendance of absent members in such manner and under such penalties as each house may provide." Senate rules do not address levying fines on senators."

[kainah]

16. If Senate rules "do not address levying fines"

then it would not fit under the "in such manner and under such penalties as each house may provide." If they tried to amend the rules now to provide for fines, that would be an ex post facto rule/law, wouldn't it?

Last night, someone here (sorry, I don't remember who) read Perry's comments about how they had "abdicated" their jobs as a possible indication of his intention to declare the seats vacant and order new elections. Nothing this crowd does would surprise me.

[VaLabor]

4. and still more:

http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=80471&SecID=2

News 8 Austin’s political analysis Harvey Kronberg spoke with Nicole Traynor about the situation.

Q: How significant is it that the Supreme Court decided not to get involved in forcing the democrats back to work?

A: It’s pretty significant. That removes the last kind of sanction that could really mean anything to the Democratic senators in New Mexico. Many people were surprised because it an all Republican court … most of the attorneys that do government work did not think, based on precedent and this specific court, that they would get involved in a legislative battle.

snip

Q: In another set of events, the Democrats have sent a letter to President Bush asking him to get involved to end the “embarrassing chapter in Texas History.” They appeal to his bipartisanship as governor and ask him to call Perry. An aide said he's not getting involved. Is there any surprise there?

A: Well, the missing link is the involvement of Karl Rove … the letter specifically pointed to Rove’s activity … Rove does not act without the implicit or explicit approval of the president … for the president to be able to argue that he has no involvement, just doesn’t ring true.

more

[tsipple]

5. Wonder How They'll Collect

Good luck on that.

[0007]

6. Guess who is starting to foolish?

I would they're recall Perry.

DeLay must be having a big bug attack` 'eh?

[Cha]

7. Nah nah nah nah nahnah!

the vile rePukes can't get the Dems back so they "fine them"?

[gratuitous]

8. So what's next, Republicans?

Are you all going to stamp your little feet and hold your breath until you turn blue?

And I thought my 2-year-old grandson could throw a temper tantrum. He's got nothing on this bunch of babies!

[PROGRESSIVE1]

9. Hopfully, But the Dem's still aren't returning!!!

:kick:

[Old and In the Way]

10. Gee, the Democrats won't partake in doing the Republican's business?

Amazing.....I hope these 'Pukes keep it up. Payback, when it comes, is gonna be a real beeyutch.

[mumon]

12. and just how did they get the quorum to make this up?

Butt-holes.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

13. how can they vote to fine absent democrats without a quoum present???

[Gingergal]

15. Sounds like it is time for the Texas Eleven to file another lawsuit

challenging this latest outrage. Perry and his boss Tom DeLay are really overplaying their hands. They are acting like the vindictive bulliies they are. If they were smart, they would shut up and wait until the end of the session at end of August. Then, they would allow the Tx. Dem. senators to return home to a hero's welcome. Then they call a special session after Labor Day. Then the next phase of the war begins.
They ram home the worst map they can find, piss off West, East and Southeast, South Texas, and rural Texas. Then the Justice Dept. will kick it back as not passing the Voting Rights Act. And the Democrats will challenge the map in federal court for civil rights violations,
The Repukes are engaging in a no-win situation with this constant war on the good guys in New Mexico. They are taking a BEATING in the papers/ editorials around the state. I have never seen anything like the near universal condemnation of the repukes by the papers over this issue and the apparent disregard for public and editorial opinion. Perry, Craddick , and Dewhurst must be being bribed and or threatened with BIG STUFF to turn their backs on opinion against them in Texas. Would love to know what DeLay/Rove et. al. are telling them!!!

[mndemocrat_29]

17. Will Democrats gain a lot of seats the next election?

I don't know when Texas has legislative elections, but I assume there'll be something in 2004. Can we make some gains there? Does anyone know of any swing districts?

[Zan_of_Texas]

18. well

I heard 3 of the Killer D's speak after they came back from Oklahoma. Serving in the Texas legislature is paid as a part-time job, so these legislators do not make a lot of money from their salaries. Usually they need to come up with another job. They mentioned that the walk-out hurt them financially (these were the State house Dems), and that they couldn't do it indefinitely -- they needed to come home and make a living at their other jobs.

So, the fines at this point, especially from Republicans to Democrats (most of the walking-out State Senators are minorities), are meant to hurt. In this second walkout, the Dems are already paying their own expenses away from home. And, foregoing income they might ordinarily be making, because the legislature is ordinarily not meeting now.

If they Democratic Senators end up having to pay them, I hope some folks will help them out.

Damn those repubs are being mean.

[dusty64]

19. The department of injustice

will not refuse any map the repukes make up, its not gonna happen. How much is this repig shit costing the Texas taxpayers?

[Fleshdancer]

23. Cost of each special session:

$1.7 million. We're on our 2nd special session over this crap.

[Philosophy]

20. Why don't the just vote to outlaw the Democratic Party?

They should have enough authority to do that as they do to make laws to arbitrarily fine people.

[judgegina]

21. Sent an e-mail to Lt. Gov. Dewhurst

the other day telling him that his threats against the Texas 11 were as empty as his suit. These silly fines prove me right. It doesn't matter if he fines them $1 or $1,000,000, he'll get the same result. Loser!

[PennyLane]

22. Worth Every Penny!

Ha! Those GOP bastards! I knew they'd have to think of some way to rain on this!

Cost of walk out: $1,000.00/day
Balls it took to do it: PRICELESS!:dem:

[alaine]

24. LOL.

I am astonished watching ordinary politicians turn into these great heroes before my very eyes...Byrd's stand with "I stood for the constitution", Barbara Lee voting against the Iraq resolution, all the reps that stood up during the debacle over h.r.1776, the Texas dems once again...it's a joy to behold.

[wellst0nev0ter]

25. Calvinball - Pure and Simple

In case you don't know.