Texas Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to cut funding to the state legislature after Democrats dramatically blocked passage of a bill that would have restricted voting rights by walking out en masse late Sunday, breaking quorum as the deadline for a House vote ran out. “I will veto Article 10 of the budget passed by the legislature. Article 10 funds the legislative branch. No pay for those who abandon their responsibilities,” Abbott said in a tweet, adding, “stay tuned.”
Democratic lawmakers have vocally defended their decision to state a walkout. “When we are outnumbered, we have to use every tool to block this attempt to scare and suppress Black and Brown Texas voters,” State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez said on Twitter after the maneuver. “We made good trouble tonight.” Earlier, the Austin American-Statesman reported that Abbott said he would call a special session to force lawmakers to come back and consider the bill that critics say would make it harder to vote, particularly in communities of color.
