TEXAS HOUSE SPEAKER SIGNS ARREST WARRANTS FOR ABSENT DEMOCRATS

  

House Speaker Dade Phelan on Tuesday signed civil arrest warrants for 52 Democrats who left the state last month to prevent a quorum and block passage of GOP-backed voting legislation.

On Tuesday, the Texas Supreme Court voided a state district judge’s temporary restraining order preventing the arrest of Democrats, after Phelan and Governor Greg Abbott petitioned the court to overturn the judge’s ruling.

Following the decision from the Texas Supreme Court, the House voted 80-12 to authorize law enforcement to track down absent Democrats and compel them to return to the state Capitol.

Phelan spokesperson Enrique Marquez said the warrants would be delivered to the House Sergeant-at-Arms this (Wednesday) morning.