General Discussion

Peacetrain

(24,279 posts) Tue Aug 19, 2025, 01:22 PM Aug 2025

Is this not kidnapping by Texas republicans.. they should be arrested NOW!!!

https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/19/politics/nicole-collier-confined-texas-state-capitol-house-redistricting

"Democratic Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier has now spent over 24 hours on the Texas House floor in protest after refusing a Republican demand to be placed under the watch of the state Department of Public Safety.

When Texas House Democrats returned to the Capitol in Austin on Monday, after having fled the state earlier this month in order to prevent a vote on a controversial Republican redistricting plan, House Speaker Dustin Burrows put constraints on their movements.

Burrows announced that the Democrats could only leave the House floor if they received written permission and agreed to be under law enforcement escort until the chamber reconvenes on Wednesday morning."

13 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Is this not kidnapping by Texas republicans.. they should be arrested NOW!!! (Original Post) Peacetrain Aug 2025 OP

The word is kidnapped. Texas Republicans have Kidnapped a Democratic state representative. LetMyPeopleVote Aug 2025 #1

I'd call the police on them!!! uponit7771 Aug 2025 #2

Exactly bucolic_frolic Aug 2025 #3

Law enforcement is obviously complicit. Why the f*ck did the Dems return? 2 Meow Momma Aug 2025 #4

Because Abbott was going to continue to create Special Sessions MagickMuffin Aug 2025 #10

I've lived in Texas the majority of my life. I know the state. 2 Meow Momma Aug 2025 #12

I'm disappointed that the rest of the Dems signed their, "permission slips" Bayard Aug 2025 #5

The communist party of TX is alive and well! Citizens have no rights what-so-ever to protest or exercise their SWBTATTReg Aug 2025 #6

I would sue. Emile Aug 2025 #7

Isn't there anyone in power who can stop this outrage? Boomerproud Aug 2025 #8

Texas AG Ken Paxton will get right on that. rsdsharp Aug 2025 #9

Texas Democrat Sues After Republicans Lock Her In Capitol LetMyPeopleVote Aug 2025 #11

Rep Collier has filed a habeas petition, challenging the House's requirement that members who returned from their quorum LetMyPeopleVote Aug 2025 #13

LetMyPeopleVote

(174,355 posts)

1. The word is kidnapped. Texas Republicans have Kidnapped a Democratic state representative.

Reply to Peacetrain (Original post)

Tue Aug 19, 2025, 01:27 PM

Aug 2025

Link to tweet

uponit7771

(93,469 posts)

2. I'd call the police on them!!!

Reply to Peacetrain (Original post)

Tue Aug 19, 2025, 01:27 PM

Aug 2025

bucolic_frolic

(53,807 posts)

3. Exactly

Reply to uponit7771 (Reply #2)

Tue Aug 19, 2025, 01:36 PM

Aug 2025

Because police are local law enforcement that are the first point of contact for local kidnapping cases.

2 Meow Momma

(6,876 posts)

4. Law enforcement is obviously complicit. Why the f*ck did the Dems return?

Reply to Peacetrain (Original post)

Tue Aug 19, 2025, 01:39 PM

Aug 2025

Was the absence performative or actually meant to stop the vote? Rhetorical question at this point, I guess. The surrender reminds me of those “strongly written letters” that are sent.

What the hell is actually going to work? Harvard and many Universities gave in, law firms gave in, the military has given in…wtf?

MagickMuffin

(18,064 posts)

10. Because Abbott was going to continue to create Special Sessions

Reply to 2 Meow Momma (Reply #4)

Tue Aug 19, 2025, 03:30 PM

Aug 2025

Our Texas Democrats were fined $500 per day. They left the state to draw awareness to this situation. They are not cowards they are in fact heroes for taking the drastic measures to inform Americans what is happening here. I’m a 5th generation Texas and the republicans have made Texas a “shithole” state. I know several Representatives that are directly affected by this regerrymandering from republicans who hate democracy.

They left Texas to get support from other states to find a solution to this madness.

And then to punish them further with House Arrest. This is what Democratic Texans are up against.

2 Meow Momma

(6,876 posts)

12. I've lived in Texas the majority of my life. I know the state.

Reply to MagickMuffin (Reply #10)

Tue Aug 19, 2025, 04:37 PM

Aug 2025

I’m in Tennessee now. The republican supermajority here outright banished 2 dem state congressmen. They were re-elected in their special elections but are regularly muted from even speaking to issues being debated.

The Texas Dems had decent temporary coverage, probably good to very good fundraising, and 15 minutes of fame. It was obviously performative, not a real effort to stop the vote. They should have stuck with it and stayed out. They stopped short of making a real change.

And as far as getting other states to throw in, California is the only state that has actually moved to action. Lots of big talk from a couple of dem governors but will they actually get on the field to play hardball?

Btw, I didn’t call the Texas Dems cowards. I know they weren’t afraid to leave. What I don’t understand is the strategy lacking follow through and then they signed the agreements to be babysat through the rest of the special session. That move should have been pushed back on with lawyers. If they had to be arrested for not signing then that is part of their job to protect their constituents. That’s the playing field we’re on now.

Bayard

(28,368 posts)

5. I'm disappointed that the rest of the Dems signed their, "permission slips"

Reply to Peacetrain (Original post)

Tue Aug 19, 2025, 01:47 PM

Aug 2025

I guess that includes the few that sat with her last night.

Rep. Collier is a hero.

SWBTATTReg

(26,002 posts)

6. The communist party of TX is alive and well! Citizens have no rights what-so-ever to protest or exercise their

Reply to Peacetrain (Original post)

Tue Aug 19, 2025, 01:52 PM

Aug 2025

first amendment rights no matter what.

Emile

(40,327 posts)

7. I would sue.

Reply to Peacetrain (Original post)

Tue Aug 19, 2025, 01:54 PM

Aug 2025

Boomerproud

(9,118 posts)

8. Isn't there anyone in power who can stop this outrage?

Reply to Peacetrain (Original post)

Tue Aug 19, 2025, 02:42 PM

Aug 2025

I'm getting angrier and angrier while these people are being led around like animals.

rsdsharp

(11,743 posts)

9. Texas AG Ken Paxton will get right on that.

Reply to Peacetrain (Original post)

Tue Aug 19, 2025, 02:51 PM

Aug 2025

If not, since kidnapping is also a federal crime, Pam Bondi will get justice for her!

LetMyPeopleVote

(174,355 posts)

11. Texas Democrat Sues After Republicans Lock Her In Capitol

Reply to Peacetrain (Original post)

Tue Aug 19, 2025, 03:51 PM

Aug 2025

Collier is a very strong attorney with a great reputation. This will be a fun lawsuit to watch

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/nicole-collier-texas-redistricting-lawsuit_n_68a4bb2fe4b028ce77545b20

Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier filed a writ of habeas corpus on Tuesday in the district court of Travis County, Texas, claiming the state legislature’s Republican majority has unlawfully detained her in the state Capitol after she refused to consent to 24-hour police surveillance.

Collier, a Democrat representing Fort Worth, is one of over 50 Texas Democratic legislators who fled the state on Aug. 3 to block Republicans from enacting a new congressional map at President Donald Trump’s urging to create five new GOP seats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Most of the Democrats who fled the state returned Monday and quickly faced retaliation from Republicans. Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, a Republican, required each Democratic legislator to sign a permission slip agreeing to have a 24-hour police escort to ensure they attended votes regarding the new map. The House is scheduled to reconvene on Wednesday. Collier refused to sign the slip and was subsequently locked on the House floor with armed guards keeping her there.

“Representative Collier has been informed that she is not free to leave the Capitol,” the lawsuit states. “Chairman of the Committee on House Administration Charlie Geren informed Representative Collier, ‘If you leave the Capitol you are subject to arrest.’”

Collier’s suit argues this is effectively an illegal confinement. Burrows “does not have the power to compel any Texas citizen or any elected official into preemptive custody,” her suit argues.

LetMyPeopleVote

(174,355 posts)

13. Rep Collier has filed a habeas petition, challenging the House's requirement that members who returned from their quorum

Reply to Peacetrain (Original post)

Tue Aug 19, 2025, 05:55 PM

Aug 2025

Link to tweet

Here is a link to the filing
https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/texas-democrat-collier-habeas-corpus-petition.pdf

Reply to this discussion