WEBVTT 1 00:00:17.480 --> 00:00:20.239 Hello, and welcome to the Texas Tribune trip cast for 2 00:00:20.359 --> 00:00:23.800 August fifth, twenty twenty five. I'm Matthew Watkins, editor in 3 00:00:23.879 --> 00:00:26.960 chief of the Tribune, back from my sojourn on the 4 00:00:27.640 --> 00:00:32.119 Gulf Coast. I am joined as usual by Lawn politics 5 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:36.799 reporter Eleanor Klebanoff. Hello, Eleanor, anything that I miss anything? 6 00:00:36.359 --> 00:00:39.799 I didn't miss any news. The thing has happened. We 7 00:00:39.840 --> 00:00:41.119 had nothing to talk about this week. 8 00:00:41.479 --> 00:00:44.600 Yeah, you know, we really really had to scramble to 9 00:00:44.640 --> 00:00:47.920 come up at the topic. Yes, of course, since you 10 00:00:48.079 --> 00:00:53.159 last heard Eleanor's voice, Texas Republicans released their proposed map 11 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:57.039 for redrawn congressional districts in the state, aiming to give 12 00:00:57.200 --> 00:01:00.799 their party five new seats. The seats were scheduled for 13 00:01:00.880 --> 00:01:04.480 a floor vote in the House on Monday, but before 14 00:01:04.560 --> 00:01:08.280 that could happen, more than fifty Democrats fled the state, 15 00:01:08.640 --> 00:01:12.840 denying the House the quorum necessary to pass the bill. This, 16 00:01:12.959 --> 00:01:17.319 of course, has caused outrage from Republicans excitement among Democrats. 17 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:21.359 House Speaker Dustin Burroughs signed arrest warrants for the members. 18 00:01:21.640 --> 00:01:24.599 Governor Greg Abbott has threatened to expel them from office 19 00:01:25.000 --> 00:01:29.200 and ordered investigations as to whether they're committing a felony bribery. 20 00:01:29.640 --> 00:01:32.000 But for now, at least, how the work of the 21 00:01:32.040 --> 00:01:35.200 House has ground to a halt. With fourteen days left 22 00:01:35.400 --> 00:01:38.879 in the special session, we are joined today by one 23 00:01:38.920 --> 00:01:43.519 of those Democrats who left the state, state Representative Gina Hinehjosa, 24 00:01:43.560 --> 00:01:47.040 a Democrat from Austin. Welcome, Representative. Thank you for joining us. 25 00:01:48.719 --> 00:01:49.519 Thanks for having me. 26 00:01:49.879 --> 00:01:52.319 So where are you right now? Tell us tell us 27 00:01:52.359 --> 00:01:52.959 your location. 28 00:01:54.760 --> 00:01:55.719 I don't know if I can do that. 29 00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:59.719 I'm at this undisclosed location outside the starry I'm right, 30 00:02:00.040 --> 00:02:04.000 I'm right outside of Chicago, in a suburb of Chicago. 31 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:06.239 Okay, excellent. I just, you know, wanted to make sure 32 00:02:06.400 --> 00:02:10.039 clear that you weren't in the newsroom with us. We 33 00:02:10.080 --> 00:02:13.800 don't want any detests showing up at our doors. Very good, 34 00:02:14.520 --> 00:02:16.439 but thank you for joining us. It has been a 35 00:02:16.520 --> 00:02:22.439 very eventful few days week, or even more really in 36 00:02:22.680 --> 00:02:26.240 Texas politics. I wanted to just start by sort of 37 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:29.639 asking you, just big picture, tell us why you made 38 00:02:29.639 --> 00:02:30.960 the decision to leave the state. 39 00:02:32.680 --> 00:02:34.599 It was an obvious decision for me. 40 00:02:36.319 --> 00:02:41.280 I heard such concern, such alarm from constituents about these 41 00:02:41.319 --> 00:02:44.599 Trump maps. I will say I had originally heard about 42 00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:46.680 this plan on Sinnee Die. 43 00:02:46.719 --> 00:02:48.080 I had heard rumors of it. 44 00:02:48.360 --> 00:02:51.000 I didn't know about the five seats, and I didn't 45 00:02:51.039 --> 00:02:56.439 know that they would try to attain the five Republican 46 00:02:56.560 --> 00:03:01.680 seats by breaking up latinal district in black districts. 47 00:03:02.039 --> 00:03:02.240 Right. 48 00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:05.240 But when I first heard the plan, I thought, well, 49 00:03:05.319 --> 00:03:10.159 this is troubling and started to worry, start to talk 50 00:03:10.199 --> 00:03:14.039 to people and trying. I tried to prepare people for 51 00:03:14.080 --> 00:03:18.639 this potentially coming. But once we saw the maps and 52 00:03:19.400 --> 00:03:22.319 saw what they did to Austin, what they did just 53 00:03:22.479 --> 00:03:27.080 to Texans, it was clear to me and to enough 54 00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:31.879 of us that the best plan of attack would be 55 00:03:32.080 --> 00:03:36.120 to leave the state, to break korum and deny them 56 00:03:36.159 --> 00:03:38.080 the numbers they need to. 57 00:03:37.599 --> 00:03:38.199 Pass the bill. 58 00:03:39.479 --> 00:03:43.240 Let's talk briefly about those maps, right, because last time 59 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:46.439 this podcast recorded, they had not been released. I understand, 60 00:03:47.319 --> 00:03:50.919 tell us just from your perspective, representative, what was it 61 00:03:51.120 --> 00:03:54.759 that what it was about that map that you know 62 00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:58.560 a firm for y'all that yes, we need to leave 63 00:03:58.599 --> 00:04:01.800 in order to stop this. This is you know, really 64 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:06.360 the nuclear option. Right. That's the biggest step y'all could 65 00:04:06.360 --> 00:04:07.719 take to block legislation. 66 00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:14.560 Right, Breaking corn is an extraordinary Act that we use 67 00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:19.920 just for the most egregious bills, and let me say 68 00:04:20.399 --> 00:04:24.639 there are plenty of egregious bills in our eyes that 69 00:04:24.759 --> 00:04:27.639 come through the Texas Legislature. We haven't done this since 70 00:04:27.680 --> 00:04:29.879 twenty twenty one. When we did it in twenty one, 71 00:04:30.759 --> 00:04:32.879 it was a big deal. It hadn't been done for 72 00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:37.279 years before that. So this is not something that we 73 00:04:37.360 --> 00:04:38.199 take lightly. 74 00:04:38.480 --> 00:04:38.560 It. 75 00:04:38.759 --> 00:04:42.160 First of all, is hard for individual members to leave 76 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:46.319 their lives, leave their families, leave their jobs to do this. 77 00:04:46.759 --> 00:04:51.759 So the maps, though, let me give you an example 78 00:04:51.759 --> 00:04:55.600 of Austin, where I represent. We have two congressional districts 79 00:04:55.639 --> 00:05:02.639 in Austin, and the Trump maps eliminate the Latinal Opportunity 80 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:09.399 district in Austin that currently has a Latino representing that district, 81 00:05:09.959 --> 00:05:14.399 and then takes a big chunk of downtown Austin, which 82 00:05:14.519 --> 00:05:18.680 is in the Texas House district that I represent, and 83 00:05:18.800 --> 00:05:23.560 connects it to a Republican East Texas district that goes 84 00:05:23.560 --> 00:05:27.000 all the way to Polk County over two hundred miles away, 85 00:05:27.560 --> 00:05:33.360 gutting really the political voice in Congress of downtown Austin 86 00:05:33.480 --> 00:05:39.680 and really effectively gutting the voice of the Latino community 87 00:05:39.680 --> 00:05:43.319 and their ability to select the representative of their choosing 88 00:05:43.439 --> 00:05:47.600 in Congress. That's just Austin, right Houston. If you look 89 00:05:47.600 --> 00:05:52.759 at Houston, that is where you have the largest number 90 00:05:52.920 --> 00:05:57.560 of Latinos of any other place in Texas is in Houston. 91 00:05:58.000 --> 00:06:02.000 They have eliminated the Latino opportunity seat there as well, 92 00:06:02.519 --> 00:06:05.279 and so if these Trump maps pass, there will no 93 00:06:05.360 --> 00:06:11.800 longer be a Latino seat in Houston, which is outrageous. 94 00:06:12.279 --> 00:06:14.439 So those are just two examples. 95 00:06:14.600 --> 00:06:17.199 I heard from Deuli Johnson last night about how her 96 00:06:17.319 --> 00:06:20.000 congressional district is cut into seven districts. 97 00:06:21.199 --> 00:06:24.160 The list goes on and on. So once people saw what. 98 00:06:24.519 --> 00:06:29.959 We saw, the specific damage done to our constituents and 99 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:34.519 their political power, it was easy for me and for 100 00:06:34.560 --> 00:06:36.439 the rest of us to choose this course of action. 101 00:06:37.720 --> 00:06:40.600 I mean, I think, like, you know, your Republican colleagues 102 00:06:40.639 --> 00:06:43.240 would say, you know, we drew these maps in twenty 103 00:06:43.279 --> 00:06:46.800 twenty one, you know, pretty cautiously to protect our incumbents. 104 00:06:47.040 --> 00:06:50.480 We had this blowout election in twenty twenty four. For Republicans, 105 00:06:51.160 --> 00:06:53.720 we're going to redraw these maps. It is purely partisan. 106 00:06:53.720 --> 00:06:55.759 It's sort of the message that we're hearing, which of course, 107 00:06:56.240 --> 00:06:58.319 you know, the courts have said, like, as long as 108 00:06:58.319 --> 00:07:01.319 it's partisan, that's fine. What you know, we still have 109 00:07:01.319 --> 00:07:03.959 the protections of the Voting Rights Act, you can't sort 110 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:09.920 of discriminate against voters of color. And you know, but certainly, 111 00:07:09.959 --> 00:07:12.279 what we've been hearing from Republicans just particularly the last 112 00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:14.199 couple of days is, you know, we have a right 113 00:07:14.240 --> 00:07:16.439 to draw partisan maps if we want to. I'm seeing 114 00:07:16.439 --> 00:07:17.720 a lot of people now are calling it the big 115 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:20.959 Beautiful Map. We're getting a lot of branding around this 116 00:07:21.040 --> 00:07:24.560 as like this is just about Republican politics. How does that? 117 00:07:25.399 --> 00:07:28.560 You know, do you think that that sort of rings 118 00:07:28.600 --> 00:07:31.040 true to you, this idea that this is just politics, 119 00:07:31.079 --> 00:07:33.800 it's not about disadvantaging black and brown voters. 120 00:07:35.040 --> 00:07:39.120 So I actually think this is kind of hilarious the 121 00:07:39.160 --> 00:07:42.439 way Republicans are insisting, no, no, no, no, no, this 122 00:07:42.480 --> 00:07:43.439 isn't about race. 123 00:07:43.560 --> 00:07:44.560 This is just a. 124 00:07:44.600 --> 00:07:50.079 Pure partisan power grab, right, And they are so insistent 125 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:55.639 that that is their motivation because they said the quiet 126 00:07:55.680 --> 00:08:01.639 part out loud by issuing that Department Justice letter that 127 00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:10.079 specifically said these majority minority districts should be targeted for 128 00:08:10.160 --> 00:08:16.600 eliminated elimination because of race. Right, the Governor's proclamation then 129 00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:21.639 cites as the sole reason for a mid decade redistricting 130 00:08:21.759 --> 00:08:28.399 session that letter, and legislator saying, oh, no, did we. 131 00:08:28.360 --> 00:08:29.399 Say this was about race. 132 00:08:29.759 --> 00:08:34.519 No, Actually, this is a pure partisan power graph. So 133 00:08:34.559 --> 00:08:38.440 they're trying to cover up their mistake. But it is 134 00:08:38.519 --> 00:08:41.919 on the record. It could not be more clear that 135 00:08:41.960 --> 00:08:44.639 this is about race. And let me say this though, 136 00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:50.360 it is both things. Because the intended purpose is to 137 00:08:50.519 --> 00:08:57.000 achieve five additional Republican members of Congress, their Department of 138 00:08:57.120 --> 00:09:01.159 Justice letter the Governor's proclamation may clear. The way they 139 00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:07.399 intend to do that is by eliminating majority minority districts. 140 00:09:08.080 --> 00:09:12.080 Okay, so I want to ask you about you mentioned 141 00:09:12.120 --> 00:09:14.919 that y'all did this previously in twenty twenty one. There 142 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:18.840 have been some things that have changed the district the court. Well, well, 143 00:09:18.840 --> 00:09:21.960 you did both, but you yes. I'm specifically talking about 144 00:09:21.960 --> 00:09:24.320 the quorum break that at the time was to block 145 00:09:24.519 --> 00:09:29.519 a bill imposing new voting restrictions in the state and 146 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:33.080 everything like that. Since then, things have changed around the 147 00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:36.799 rules around quorum breaks the House. You know, past rules 148 00:09:37.000 --> 00:09:41.000 that would include a five hundred dollars fine, there is 149 00:09:41.159 --> 00:09:45.200 now the uh you know, as I mentioned in the introduction, 150 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:49.679 Governor Abbott, you know, talking about you know, possibly pursuing 151 00:09:49.720 --> 00:09:52.480 criminal charges against members. We can get a little bit 152 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:58.960 more into that. How prepared are you and your colleagues 153 00:09:59.240 --> 00:10:03.320 to with stan and that financial and legal pressure into 154 00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:06.000 the long term. How long can you make this last 155 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:08.440 given that situation. 156 00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:15.720 So my primary concern is defending my constituents right. They 157 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:22.200 have a fundamental right to representation, to hold our politicians 158 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:24.879 accountable for the hurt and abuse that they are suffering. 159 00:10:25.159 --> 00:10:27.240 And the list of that hurt and abuse goes on 160 00:10:27.320 --> 00:10:30.519 and on. High prices at the grocery store because of 161 00:10:30.559 --> 00:10:35.600 these pay to play tariffs, constituents are losing healthcare, our 162 00:10:35.799 --> 00:10:40.519 neighborhood schools are losing money, are going without. That list 163 00:10:40.559 --> 00:10:43.960 goes on and on. So that's my primary concern. Let 164 00:10:44.039 --> 00:10:47.360 me start with that. I think those five hundred dollars 165 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:52.120 fines are unconstitutional under the Texas Constitution. Texas is one 166 00:10:52.120 --> 00:10:55.879 of only four states that authorizes the breaking of core 167 00:10:56.039 --> 00:10:59.840 That is a rule, that is i'm sorry, a procedure 168 00:11:00.320 --> 00:11:03.559 under the rules that we can take to. 169 00:11:03.559 --> 00:11:04.879 Represent our constituents. 170 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:08.679 It is the way that we protect their interests and 171 00:11:09.480 --> 00:11:14.200 we should not be punished for using what is a 172 00:11:14.240 --> 00:11:17.799 procedural tool in the toolbox. So I think it's unconstitutional, 173 00:11:17.799 --> 00:11:21.919 but I'll say this. I'll say that again, the primary 174 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:25.600 importance here is protecting our constituents. I'm willing to do 175 00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:28.799 whatever it takes to do that. If you think about 176 00:11:28.840 --> 00:11:32.360 all the ways that Texans Americans have sacrificed for our freedoms, 177 00:11:32.960 --> 00:11:39.759 this is, in comparison, not a lot. To ask elected 178 00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:43.440 leaders whose job it is to represent and protect the 179 00:11:43.480 --> 00:11:45.639 interests of our constituents. 180 00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:49.159 Do you anticipate legal action against trying against those fines 181 00:11:49.240 --> 00:11:51.399 to sort of challenge that on constitutionality. 182 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:56.240 Well, it's too early to say, right. They can't impose 183 00:11:56.279 --> 00:11:59.159 those fins until there's a quorum and there's a vote 184 00:11:59.320 --> 00:12:02.679 to do so, so it's a little premature to say, 185 00:12:02.679 --> 00:12:06.240 but I do think it is legally questionable. 186 00:12:07.679 --> 00:12:11.440 So we are ninety six days from the November eighth 187 00:12:12.000 --> 00:12:17.320 filing period. Hypothetically, if lawmakers were to stay for that 188 00:12:17.519 --> 00:12:20.080 entire time, that would add up to a forty eight 189 00:12:20.120 --> 00:12:23.440 thousand dollars fine, assuming that Abbott were to just continue 190 00:12:23.480 --> 00:12:26.320 calling special sessions, which I think is probably a pretty 191 00:12:26.320 --> 00:12:30.080 safe assumption. So we're talking about forty eight thousand dollars 192 00:12:30.080 --> 00:12:33.919 worth of fines. It is no secret that state lawmakers 193 00:12:33.960 --> 00:12:36.919 are not highly paid seventy two hundred dollars per year. 194 00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:38.879 You know, of course you all have other jobs, but 195 00:12:38.960 --> 00:12:43.360 presumably many of those jobs might be complicated how they 196 00:12:43.440 --> 00:12:45.200 might be able to be done when you're not in 197 00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:49.360 the state. How you know? There has been reporting, including 198 00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:51.919 from the Tribune, about you know, fundraising in order to 199 00:12:51.960 --> 00:12:55.279 help kind of bear that financial cost. How are you 200 00:12:55.320 --> 00:12:57.759 all going to pay for this? How you know? Are 201 00:12:57.799 --> 00:13:00.399 you raising money? Are you planning to use donor funds 202 00:13:00.399 --> 00:13:02.759 to help bear the cost of this expense? 203 00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:09.879 So I think we're getting ahead of ourselves. 204 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:14.320 We are on day two of our core break, and 205 00:13:14.360 --> 00:13:19.440 we're taking it day by day. Right. I just have 206 00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:21.879 to be honest. I am not concerned about those fines 207 00:13:21.960 --> 00:13:22.399 right now. 208 00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:26.320 That is not It does not scare me. It is 209 00:13:26.360 --> 00:13:27.759 not a motivator for me. 210 00:13:28.679 --> 00:13:31.240 What is a moti vader for me is to be 211 00:13:31.320 --> 00:13:33.720 able to protect my constituents. And let me say this, 212 00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:38.960 Let me take a moment to put in perspective and 213 00:13:39.080 --> 00:13:45.679 context what is happening today. So when a thousand people 214 00:13:45.759 --> 00:13:50.399 showed up to oppose these maps, in Arlington to testify. Right, 215 00:13:50.840 --> 00:13:54.720 hundreds and hundreds of people showed up to testify in Austin. 216 00:13:55.879 --> 00:13:59.320 Over maps that I think have been released twenty four 217 00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:00.639 hours for hours. 218 00:14:00.759 --> 00:14:04.759 Maybe this has happened so fast, and you see that 219 00:14:04.840 --> 00:14:08.200 Texans are ready for a fight and ready to stand 220 00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:12.080 up to Donald Trump. In some ways, this fight is 221 00:14:12.120 --> 00:14:16.799 a gift to us. It is a rallying call to Texans, 222 00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:20.080 to Americans that we do not have to bend a 223 00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:22.240 need to Donald Trump, and we can take the fight 224 00:14:22.360 --> 00:14:28.399 directly to him. And the support, the overwhelming gratitude that 225 00:14:28.440 --> 00:14:32.840 we are hearing from constituents and from Americans all over 226 00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:37.360 this country reinforces that people are ready for this fight. 227 00:14:37.600 --> 00:14:41.159 And so I'm not motivated by the fear of fines. 228 00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:47.240 I am extremely motivated and propelled by just the determination 229 00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:51.480 of my constituents and Texans and Americans to do what 230 00:14:51.559 --> 00:14:54.519 it takes to stand up to Trump on this this 231 00:14:54.639 --> 00:14:58.559 most fundamental of our values. It is about who we are. 232 00:14:58.600 --> 00:15:02.519 It is our identity as Americans. Representation is why we 233 00:15:02.679 --> 00:15:05.840 exist as a country, and I'm proud to be part 234 00:15:05.879 --> 00:15:06.120 of that. 235 00:15:07.320 --> 00:15:11.200 Do you feel like there's cohesiveness among the caucus on 236 00:15:11.240 --> 00:15:14.159 that of like we're in this for the long haul 237 00:15:14.200 --> 00:15:17.919 and that mounting dollar amount doesn't scare us. 238 00:15:18.840 --> 00:15:24.679 Let me say that getting independently elected leaders on the 239 00:15:24.679 --> 00:15:27.440 same page about anything is a struggle. 240 00:15:27.639 --> 00:15:27.919 Right. 241 00:15:28.440 --> 00:15:32.519 Everybody is strong willed and has their own good ideas, 242 00:15:33.080 --> 00:15:39.120 but we all understand the stakes, and so we work 243 00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:42.200 through these things every day because we have the shared goal, 244 00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:47.120 and that's to protect our constituents and stand up for 245 00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:50.120 what's right. So it is a day by day conversation. 246 00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:54.320 It is a day by day fight, and today we 247 00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:55.600 are united in that fight. 248 00:15:56.480 --> 00:15:59.080 Terry Canalis, one of your colleagues who did not make 249 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:03.120 the trip, told our reporter Rinzo Downey yesterday that he 250 00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:06.879 thought the outcome of this is inevitable. And I think 251 00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:10.600 what he meant by that was inevitable that eventually these 252 00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:13.039 maps would get passed. Am I hearing from you that 253 00:16:13.080 --> 00:16:15.120 you disagree with that assessment right now? 254 00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:24.080 I just disagree in that defeatist attitude. It is inevitable 255 00:16:24.159 --> 00:16:27.120 if we do nothing and we don't fight. Sure, yeah, absolutely, 256 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:29.639 that's inevitable, but that's not what we're doing. That is 257 00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:32.120 the only thing that is inevitable, that it will happen 258 00:16:32.200 --> 00:16:35.679 if we don't fight. So what we learned in the 259 00:16:35.679 --> 00:16:39.399 twenty one Korm break was when we broke korm for 260 00:16:39.480 --> 00:16:43.360 the day to kill the irregular session, and then we 261 00:16:43.399 --> 00:16:46.519 broke korm for the thirty days of the special session. 262 00:16:46.519 --> 00:16:48.600 We went to DC, we lobbied on the John Lewis 263 00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:51.639 voting right sack that it passed. But something else happened, 264 00:16:51.960 --> 00:16:56.320 and that's that Republicans were so shamed by the national 265 00:16:56.360 --> 00:16:58.919 attention they were getting on their bill that they could 266 00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:03.240 not defend that they gutted the most offensive part to 267 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:05.480 the bill, the parts of the bill that inspired our 268 00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:08.640 corn break. We could not have anticipated that outcome when 269 00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:10.960 we broke korum on that one day to kill that 270 00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:15.079 to kill the end of the regular session or for 271 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:18.519 the special session. All we knew was that we had 272 00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:21.359 to fight to win that day, and we take it 273 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:23.319 day by day. That is the lesson from the twenty 274 00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:26.319 one Corm break that we bring to this corn break 275 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:27.839 where the stakes are even higher. 276 00:17:28.759 --> 00:17:30.799 And I do think a difference between twenty twenty one 277 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:33.640 and now is the level of national awareness of what's 278 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:34.079 going on. 279 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:34.319 Right. 280 00:17:34.359 --> 00:17:36.799 This has become sort of like a national arms race 281 00:17:36.839 --> 00:17:39.000 in a way. We've got blue states saying they want 282 00:17:39.000 --> 00:17:43.039 to redistrict now certainly do you feel does that feel 283 00:17:43.079 --> 00:17:45.319 different for you all that, like, you know, you're obviously 284 00:17:45.319 --> 00:17:47.559 getting a lot of support from National Democrats. 285 00:17:48.799 --> 00:17:50.599 Yeah, so in twenty one it was just like this 286 00:17:50.759 --> 00:17:55.599 rogue thing that happened on our own. We had no 287 00:17:55.759 --> 00:17:59.039 support at the time, we just did it. And so 288 00:17:59.119 --> 00:18:03.240 this feels very different. Right, we have the DNC leader 289 00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:09.000 here today, Ken Martin, who's supporting us and grateful for 290 00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:12.000 what we were doing. We had Jeffries come speak, I'm sorry, 291 00:18:12.359 --> 00:18:16.559 Leader Jeffries come and speak to us last week in Austin. 292 00:18:17.039 --> 00:18:18.039 So yes, it's. 293 00:18:17.960 --> 00:18:22.200 Very different in that we have institutional support from National 294 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:28.039 Democrats and in some ways it's easier. What's harder is 295 00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:30.759 we have now a Republican president. Right when we broke 296 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:33.319 Corman twenty one, it was Biden who was president, we 297 00:18:33.319 --> 00:18:37.640 were able to go to DC. But having Donald Trump 298 00:18:38.200 --> 00:18:42.880 as president is is different and it means that we 299 00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:44.359 have to play this a little differently. 300 00:18:46.240 --> 00:18:49.880 I think one of the dynamics here, you know, mentioned 301 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:54.240 other states, California, you know, saying if New York, possibly 302 00:18:54.880 --> 00:18:56.880 if Texas does this, we're going to do our own 303 00:18:56.920 --> 00:19:00.640 type of redistricting. You know, California the part and breakdown 304 00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:04.480 right now already forty three Democrats nine Republicans. It is all, 305 00:19:04.640 --> 00:19:09.960 you know, disproportionately democratic, in the same way that Texas 306 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:12.880 is disproportionately Republican. I think there are a lot of 307 00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:17.599 people who view this as not an encouraging sign in 308 00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:20.799 either direction when these types of things happen. But there's 309 00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:23.400 also I mean, I'm not naive and thinking that, like 310 00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:28.440 one party is not going to unilaterally disarm in this fight, right, 311 00:19:29.440 --> 00:19:30.920 And I bring that up to sort of ask you 312 00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:35.200 the question is, like, is there any hope of either 313 00:19:35.319 --> 00:19:39.279 side standing down here or or the two sides coming 314 00:19:39.319 --> 00:19:42.279 to an agreement of like, let's just let these maps 315 00:19:42.359 --> 00:19:45.960 stick the way they are in the political climate that 316 00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:49.160 we find them ourselves in. Like, is that even you're 317 00:19:49.200 --> 00:19:54.359 saying that cold war, Yeah, like this is not good 318 00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:59.119 for anyone. Let's let's not redraw any maps here. 319 00:20:00.119 --> 00:20:02.519 Nice idea. 320 00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:09.640 Maybe I heard last night from one of our members 321 00:20:09.680 --> 00:20:13.880 of Congress that there were two Republican members of Congress 322 00:20:14.039 --> 00:20:21.400 who had now filed bills to eliminate mid decade redistricting. 323 00:20:23.000 --> 00:20:27.720 So they're starting to feel the heat in other parts 324 00:20:27.960 --> 00:20:32.400 of the country because No, this is not ideal for anyone. 325 00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:37.119 And in fact, if Democrats were the majority in Texas, 326 00:20:37.160 --> 00:20:44.000 we would have nonpartisan, independent citizen redistricting commissions. That is 327 00:20:44.119 --> 00:20:47.119 legislation Democrats have filed. I believe I've signed on to 328 00:20:47.799 --> 00:20:50.880 those pieces of legislation that would be ideal. That's what 329 00:20:50.920 --> 00:20:54.119 we would have if Democrats were in power. We don't 330 00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:57.039 exist in that world today. That world does not exist today. 331 00:20:57.200 --> 00:21:01.359 And so what you're seeing is governor in other states, 332 00:21:01.480 --> 00:21:04.000 in democratic governors in other states, trying to figure out, 333 00:21:04.279 --> 00:21:07.759 given this Trump powerplay in Texas, how can I protect 334 00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:12.079 my own constituents from the outcome of trying to predetermine 335 00:21:12.160 --> 00:21:14.319 the twenty twenty six midterms. 336 00:21:13.960 --> 00:21:17.400 Right, So it's understandable, right, is it ideal? 337 00:21:17.720 --> 00:21:17.799 No? 338 00:21:18.039 --> 00:21:21.079 What would be ideal is if everybody played by the 339 00:21:21.079 --> 00:21:26.720 same roles and we had these nonpartisan citizen redistricting commissions. 340 00:21:26.839 --> 00:21:30.039 We just don't live in that world today. But again, 341 00:21:30.119 --> 00:21:32.319 this is a day by day deal. You're starting to 342 00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:35.839 see some movement on the Republican side because they don't 343 00:21:35.920 --> 00:21:39.200 like this arms war, and we'll see where it ends. 344 00:21:39.799 --> 00:21:42.559 Right. I'm going to pause right here to read a 345 00:21:42.559 --> 00:21:45.319 note from our sponsor which is the Texas Tribune. This week. 346 00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:49.920 Our membership program Texas Needs Trusted Journalism, helps sustain fact 347 00:21:49.960 --> 00:21:54.359 based reporting around the state about state issues by donating 348 00:21:54.400 --> 00:21:57.920 to the Tribune newsroom. Become a member today at Texastribune 349 00:21:58.000 --> 00:22:01.480 dot org slash donate a right Representative. I want to 350 00:22:01.480 --> 00:22:05.319 ask you about the calculus about the other issues on 351 00:22:05.359 --> 00:22:08.640 the table during the special session, particularly flood relief. Right, 352 00:22:09.680 --> 00:22:12.359 you know, it is true that while Democrats are not 353 00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:17.799 in Texas that they cannot pass a map of new 354 00:22:17.839 --> 00:22:22.160 congressional districts. It also means they cannot pass legislation in 355 00:22:22.200 --> 00:22:25.559 response to these terrible floods that happened, you know, including 356 00:22:25.759 --> 00:22:29.440 in Travis County, but also in the Hill Country as well. 357 00:22:30.240 --> 00:22:33.240 Did that factor into y'all's decision? How do you feel 358 00:22:33.240 --> 00:22:36.079 about that work being grinded to a halt at the 359 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:40.039 same time this other work is as well. 360 00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:43.640 That work hardly even kicked off When we were still 361 00:22:43.640 --> 00:22:47.279 in Texas. We had only had two hearings that were 362 00:22:47.319 --> 00:22:50.839 scheduled by the Republican majority on flood relief. We had 363 00:22:51.000 --> 00:22:54.400 eight hearings on Trump's maps, So it became clear to 364 00:22:54.519 --> 00:22:59.519 us that the Republican majority was not interested in prioritizing 365 00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:02.839 flood Really, even if you look at the call on 366 00:23:02.920 --> 00:23:06.000 the House to arrest us, it's to pass the maps, 367 00:23:06.119 --> 00:23:09.640 it's not to pass flood relief. The biggest problem we 368 00:23:09.720 --> 00:23:16.759 have with flooding and extreme weather is more who's elected 369 00:23:16.839 --> 00:23:19.839 and who's in charge than what the laws are. We 370 00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:24.319 know that it was revealed that the all Abbott elected 371 00:23:24.400 --> 00:23:27.559 River Authority had three point four million dollars in their 372 00:23:27.599 --> 00:23:31.400 reserves that they did not use for an emergency warning 373 00:23:31.440 --> 00:23:35.240 system for floods that would have cost a million dollars. 374 00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:38.039 They didn't use that money. We know the governor could, 375 00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:42.200 in fact, on his own use his emergency powers to 376 00:23:42.279 --> 00:23:47.039 transfer money for flood relief victims, just like he transferred 377 00:23:47.240 --> 00:23:50.640 two hundred and fifty million dollars from one agency to 378 00:23:50.799 --> 00:23:53.920 build parts of a border wall in twenty twenty one. 379 00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:57.680 That was not an appropriate use of that power. Today, absolutely, 380 00:23:57.720 --> 00:24:01.839 when you have an Act of God emergency whether emergency, 381 00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:04.559 this would be an appropriate time to use his power. 382 00:24:04.599 --> 00:24:06.799 But what he is doing here is the same thing 383 00:24:07.079 --> 00:24:11.200 that he did with the school voucher fight. He's holding 384 00:24:11.720 --> 00:24:16.240 hostage something that everything wants, everyone wants, which is flood relief. 385 00:24:16.480 --> 00:24:20.119 So as to pass his political maps. He's playing political games. 386 00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:22.960 You remember he did the same thing by withholding funding 387 00:24:23.000 --> 00:24:26.759 for schools because he didn't get his voucher scam passed. 388 00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:33.200 We will not play those games. He needs to be responsible. 389 00:24:33.400 --> 00:24:39.079 He needs to own his leadership position and his authority 390 00:24:39.200 --> 00:24:43.039 to grant that relief now and stop playing these political games. 391 00:24:44.720 --> 00:24:47.720 Speaking of the governor, you know, we have certainly heard 392 00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:50.160 some big talk from Governor Abbot in the last couple 393 00:24:50.160 --> 00:24:52.799 of days about, you know, saying he would like to 394 00:24:52.839 --> 00:24:56.200 begin the proceedings to declare your seats vacant, talking about 395 00:24:56.319 --> 00:25:00.000 you know, calling special elections to fill those seats. Certainly, 396 00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:03.200 as we mentioned, you know, the felony bribery investigated by 397 00:25:03.200 --> 00:25:05.359 the you know, he's called on the Texas Rangers to 398 00:25:05.359 --> 00:25:08.519 investigate you all for felony bribery. Just talking first about 399 00:25:08.519 --> 00:25:11.119 the vacating the seats. I mean, how credible of a 400 00:25:11.119 --> 00:25:13.119 threat is that to you? How worried are you all? 401 00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:17.559