Austin judge signs order blocking arrest of quorum-busting Democrats

[LetMyPeopleVote]

Source: KVUE ABC

AUSTIN, Texas — A criminal district judge in Austin has signed an order blocking the arrest of any quorum-busting House Democrats, saying that doing so would be a misinterpretation of House rules and the Texas Constitution.

Judge Brad Urrutia signed the order Sunday night, and it was filed by Austin attorneys representing 19 plaintiffs Monday morning.

The order blocks Gov. Greg Abbott, House Speaker Dade Phelan and law enforcement agencies such as the Texas Department of Public Safety and Capitol police from "detaining, confining, or otherwise restricting a Texas House Democrat's movement without his or her consent. It also prevents them from "issuing an warrants or other instruments demanding the detention, confinement or other restriction of a Texas House Democrat's movement."

Read more: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/austin-judge-texas-legislature-democrats-quorom-arrest/269-3b7553e3-ffd8-45d4-9525-5ed7bb9a5ae1

[LEW]

1. Yeah!!!

So glad sensible people are finally standing up for what is right; not letting these uber radical repubs to keep getting away with their crap!

[Talitha]

2. YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LetMyPeopleVote]

3. Austin judge signs order to block arrests of Democrats who refuse to return to Texas Capitol

Greg is going to be pissed

Link to tweet

A state district judge in Travis County has granted a temporary restraining order blocking the arrest of House Democrats who have broken quorum, paving the way for those who remain outside the state to return home without threat of arrest.

State District Judge Brad Urrutia, a Democrat, signed the order late Sunday night restricting Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dade Phelan from "detaining, confining or otherwise restricting" the free movement of House Democrats within the state or issuing any warrants ordering their confinement.

The order expires in 14 days unless extended by Urrutia. The court will hear arguments on a temporary injunction on Aug. 20 where Abbott and Phelan must show why a temporary injunction should not be filed against them.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of 19 House Democrats by attorneys Sam Bassett, Jeremy Monthy and Megan Rue.

It is the second lawsuit filed by House Democrats in an attempt to avoid arrest if they returned to Texas. The other was filed by attorney Craig Washington in federal court in Austin on behalf of 22 House Democrats. It was riddled with problems, including subsequent statements by at least four of the plaintiffs that they had not authorized the suit on their behalf.

[Evolve Dammit]

4. Shootout at OK Corral next?

[KS Toronado]

15. Did they move that to Texas from Tombstone Arizona?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[Evolve Dammit]

23. just a metaphor for the inevitable violence to come.

[jmowreader]

5. You know what the solution is

We wait until 14 Texas Senate Republicans and 20 Texas House Republicans are isolating after coming up positive for COVID. At that point the Democrats fly back to Austin, impeach their moron governor and pass a good voting rights law.

[onetexan]

7. Impeachment w never happen as tx is trifecta GOP controlled

BUT...they did the impossible & raised the urgency of the matter to national level. Now Biden admin must take up the cause & get it done federally. Democracy is in danger.

[LeftInTX]

17. The odds of 14 Senate Republicans being out at once probably won't happen

They've all been vaccinated...

Even if Dems would manage to pass to some good legislation, Abbott won't sign it.

[iluvtennis]

6. Great news! n/t

[Hekate]

8. KnR

[NCjack]

9. Aww. Tough break, Gov. Abbott.

[multigraincracker]

10. Breaking rocks in the hot sun....

[calimary]

11. EXCELLENT!!!

FUCK you, GOP.

[MichMan]

12. Good, now they can return to Texas and just boycott any legislation they like

Nothing anyone can do about it now. Prevents the Republicans from passing anything until their terms expire.

[Raine1967]

26. Can they?

It's a pretty interesting thought.

[Marthe48]

13. Good news for the frontline troops

God, I hope we win this fight.

[FreepFryer]

14. They stand a real risk of being arrested anyway, by some constitutional sheriff type.

Imho they should be prepared to have their freedom taken and to have to regain what is rightly theirs in this order, should they return and risk it.

[KS Toronado]

16. Hope that was a reQublicOn appointed Judge!

[whathehell]

18. Yay!

[Scruffy1]

19. They can't get a quorum anyway.

They currently have ten R's under quarantine for the "hoax" that went away by last summer.

[Ford_Prefect]

20. Judge Brad Urrutia was elected in 2016 with 313,000 votes as a Democrat.

He serves until 2024 after re-election in 2020 with 426,000 votes. Note: he ran unopposed in BOTH elections.

[mbmsr]

21. Great news!! I wouldn't rush home what if they lose on appeal!

[regnaD kciN]

24. I'd be more concerned that Abbott would order them arrested anyway...

...and the police there would comply.

[JohnnyRingo]

22. Damn liberal Texas judges! hahaha

Probably the same judge who let Yosemite Sam go on probation for shooting up saloons.

[MichMan]

25. Does this now mean they can go back, yet anytime the Repugs try and pass anything...

they can just get up and leave in the middle of a session, therefore making a quorum impossible?

Republicans could never pass anything.. lol

[Raine1967]

27. I hope they don't return

until the special session is over.

This feels like a trap.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

28. #SCOTX has temporarily halted a state district judge order that blocked the arrest of House Dems

The texas supreme court has 9 GOP nut cases.

Link to tweet