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WASHINGTON – A member of the Texas Democratic Delegation has returned to Austin from Washington, DC, to negotiate with Republicans over their electoral legislation.
Rep. Philip Cortez, D-San Antonio, made the announcement on Twitter Wednesday, saying he intended to “enter into a good dialogue on aspects of the bill that I and others believe are harmful”.
Cortez is the second Democrat to return to Austin from the country’s capital, where nearly 60 other members of the Democratic House have stayed since July 12 to break the quorum during the ongoing special legislative session. The Democrats strongly oppose the GOP’s efforts to rewrite electoral laws in such a way that the Democrats would make it more difficult for people of color to vote, and Republicans say it would restore the integrity of the elections.
Governor Greg Abbott has vowed to arrest absent members on their return to the state, both members having returned voluntarily without incident.
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In his announcement, Cortez said his decision to return was made after talks with fellow Democratic counterparts in Washington.
“A small working group of Democrats decided to start active discussions on improvements (House Law 3) here in Austin and asked me to come back to establish open lines of communication,” he said.
However, other members doubt how his decision came about, who he spoke to, or what his mission is.
“To be clear, he’s not negotiating on our behalf,” tweeted MP Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, in response. “He made the decision to rejoin the Republicans without speaking to the Dem delegation.”
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Rep. Celia Israel, D-Austin, said that at 4:41 p.m., Cortez’s tweet was the first she heard that Cortez had returned.
“It was news to us that we had an envoy,” Israel told the American statesman.“I didn’t know we had one, and I don’t know what the point would be.”
“The governor picks us up political points like a piñata. He’s collecting money, he’s trying to show his Republicans how tough he is. They’re firmly anchored. I don’t see any political sense in an envoy. If … you just think about it after, I don’t understand, “said Israel.
Cortez didn’t return a message by Wednesday night asking which Democrats he’d met while planning his return.
Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie and chairman of the Texas House Democratic Caucus, said he first discovered Cortez was back in Austin on Tuesday.
“I called him, he confirmed that he was there. That was the first time I knew he had left our group in Washington,” said Turner on Wednesday evening. “I spoke to him today, I encouraged him to return … I hope Rep. Cortez considers returning.”
“I am not aware of either the content or the existence of negotiations per se,” said Turner.
Rep. Harold Dutton, D-Houston, was the first Democrat to break away from the Washington group when he returned to the capital on Tuesday, The Dallas Morning News reported. He cited family reasons as the reason for his return – a sister undergoing chemotherapy. Dutton wasn’t one of the original 57 Democrats to break the quorum last week, though after the first trip to Washington he joined his colleagues for several days before returning home.
Texas House requires 100 members in attendance to have a quorum and conduct legislative business. The flight of 57 Democrats to Washington left around 80 MPs in the Austin House of Representatives to break the quorum. On Tuesday, the number of members in attendance rose to about 90 as Dutton and other Democrats who had not originally left the state were counted on the floor.
Rep. Jarvis Johnson, D-Houston, said Wednesday morning from Washington DC that the returning Democrats were not a cause for concern as long as the total membership remained below 100.
“A lot of those who are there just know how to count,” said Johnson. “The fact that they need a lot more doesn’t mean they have anywhere near quorum. So we are still strong. There might be some who are just there to gather information because they can go anytime they want. The quorum is still broke. “
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