Texas Redistricting Battle Escalates: Gov. Abbott Sues to Remove Rep. Gene Wu Amid Quorum Break

A major constitutional clash is unfolding in Texas as Governor Greg Abbott has filed an emergency petition with the state’s Supreme Court, seeking to remove State Representative Gene Wu from office. The unprecedented legal action comes after Wu and other Democratic lawmakers left Texas, effectively halting Republican efforts to redraw congressional district lines.

Governor Abbott’s lawsuit, submitted Tuesday, contends that Rep. Wu, who chairs the Texas House Democratic Caucus, violated the state Constitution and abandoned his official duties by participating in the quorum break. The absence of these Democratic lawmakers has prevented Republicans from securing the necessary legislative quorum to advance new congressional boundaries, which are projected to grant the GOP five additional House seats.

The petition asserts that quorum provisions mandate attendance in the state House as an “affirmative constitutional obligation.” It states, “Representative Wu has openly renounced these constitutional mandates by fleeing the State of Texas to break quorum, obstruct legislative proceedings, and paralyze the Texas House of Representatives.”

In response, Rep. Wu issued a statement Tuesday evening vehemently denying any abandonment of duty. “When a governor conspires with a disgraced president to ram through a racist gerrymandered map, my constitutional duty is to not be a willing participant,” Wu declared. He added, “Denying the governor a quorum was not an abandonment of my office; it was a fulfillment of my oath.”

The standoff has garnered national attention, with former President Barack Obama weighing in to call the Republican actions “a power grab that undermines our democracy.” Meanwhile, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton urged the high court not to dismiss Abbott’s petition before a Friday deadline for lawmakers to return, while also raising questions about the Governor’s legal standing to file such a suit.

The dramatic escalation follows Governor Abbott’s earlier warning that he would seek the Democrats’ removal if they failed to return. The situation intensified Monday when Abbott ordered the State Department of Public Safety to arrest the absent lawmakers, a move supported by former President Donald Trump, who suggested federal involvement might be necessary.

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