CHICAGO (WGN) — On Sunday, at St. Sabina Church, three Texas Democrats sat in the pews, taking a public stand to block passage of a new congressional map.
“What we’re fighting for is democracy,” Texas State Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins said.
Gervin-Hawkins stood before the congregation joined by State Reps. Ron Reynolds and Charlene Ward Johnson.
They are among the 50 Democratic lawmakers who fled Texas to oppose a Republican-led mid-decade redistricting plan — a move that could shift five U.S. House seats to the GOP.
“Who would think it’s OK to hunt us down like animals rather than allow us to follow the rules,” Gervin-Hawkins said.
“They are today’s freedom fighters. They are teaching, I believe, the country is a civic country. Don’t say you love democracy and not fight for it,” Father Michael Pfleger, the longtime pastor of St. Sabina Church, said.
On NBC’s Meet the Press, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker says Republican lawmakers’ actions violate the Voting Rights Act and the Constitution.
He stressed that Illinois supports and welcomes Democratic lawmakers who have fled their state to fight for fair elections.
“They’re heroes, not just standing up for their constituents, but also rights for all across the country,” Pritzker said.
On Fox News, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott accused the lawmakers of abandoning their oath of office and announced plans to pursue legal measures to remove them from their positions.
He warned that he has the power to call special sessions without end and will enforce consequences for their actions.
“As soon as this is over, I’m going to call another one, then another one and another one. They show up in the state of Texas, they will be arrested and taken into the capitol,” Abbott said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
