Texas House Democratic lawmakers who fled the state to block consideration of a Republican-backed elections bill have begun returning home this week after a district judge granted a temporary restraining order barring Gov. Greg Abbott from ordering their arrest.
Democratic State Rep. James Talarico was among the first to announce his return to Texas after State District Court Judge Brad Urrutia granted the restraining order. Texas Democratic lawmakers are in the middle of a weeks-long standoff with Abbott after they traveled to Washington D.C., breaking quorum for special legislative session the governor called in a bid to force consideration of the bill.
“Our quorum break shined a national spotlight on the TX voter suppression bill and pushed Congress closer to passing a federal voting rights act to override it,” Talarico wrote on Twitter. “I’m confident they will. Now I’m back to clean up Greg Abbott’s latest messes from COVID to ERCOT.”
The judge’s order bars Abbott and Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, a Republican from “detaining,
confining or otherwise restricting” the Democratic lawmakers within the state, the Texas Tribune reported. The initial restraining order expires after 14 days, though it could be extended.
