Updated August 9, 2025 at 5:39 AM AKDT
Texas Democrats who fled the state this week intend to "kill and end" a "corrupt" special session called by the state's governor, says State Rep. Gene Wu.
Gov. Greg Abbott called the 30-day special legislative session at the behest of President Trump to redraw congressional maps in the hopes of gaining up to five additional seats for Republicans ahead of next year's midterm elections. The special session's agenda also includes certain other pressing items, including passing relief for victims of the July 4 flooding in Central Texas.
Wu, a Democrat who represents part of Houston and chairs the Texas House Democratic caucus, and about 50 other Texas Democrats fled the state this past weekend to break quorum and prevent Republicans — at least temporarily — from advancing a GOP friendly map.
Abbott is now seeking to remove Wu, whom the governor dubbed the "ringleader" of Democrats' quorum break, from office through an emergency petition filed with the Texas Supreme Court this week. The governor argues Wu, who has until Friday to respond to the court, has abandoned his office.
Wu called Abbott's petition "meaningless" in an interview with Morning Edition and said the governor doesn't have the power to file such a suit under state law.
"Either Governor Abbott is just a complete buffoon and doesn't know what basic law is, or he's just doing this as a political stunt and using it to lie to the American public," Wu said.
Abbott's office referred NPR to an Aug. 5 press release when asked to comment on Wu's statements to Morning Edition. "Representative Wu and the other Texas House Democrats have shown a willful refusal to return, and their absence for an indefinite period of time deprives the House of the quorum needed to meet and conduct business on behalf of Texans. Texas House Democrats abandoned their duty to Texans, and there must be consequences," Abbott said in the statement.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said he intends to seek a court ruling declaring that Democrats have abandoned their offices if the House lacks quorum on Friday, possibly paving the way for Abbott to replace them. Paxton also noted the governor may not have this authority under state law.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican, said Thursday the FBI has agreed to help find and arrest the Democrats who fled the state.
Wu spoke to NPR's A Martínez about why he feels Texas Democrats' effort is worth it and why isn't worried about the Trump administration dragging them back to Texas.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Interview highlights
A Martínez: What do you expect to happen today?
Texas State Rep. Gene Wu: We expect them to not be able to make quorum. And we will continue our efforts to warn the entire nation about this impending doom that is coming to everyone. This is the wholesale destruction of our nation and of our democracy.
Martínez: Do you not expect the FBI to come looking for you?
Wu: No, we're not afraid of that, because if they follow the law, Gov. Abbott and Attorney General Paxton have no power outside of the state. If they follow the law, the FBI, President Trump, has no power to intervene in something that they do not have jurisdiction to intervene in. That's assuming that they follow the law.
Martínez: The governor has filed an emergency petition with the state's Supreme Court on Tuesday seeking to remove you in particular from office. What's your legal argument in response to that?
Wu: When I first saw that, I actually laughed out loud because the governor — who has been a Supreme Court justice, has been an attorney general, has been a district court judge, an appellate judge — does not know black letter, first year law, school law. The law says that he can't do that. And everyone scratching their head of like, wait, the governor doesn't have this power that belongs to the attorney general or the DA's office. It's meaningless. Even Ken Paxton said the governor doesn't have this power.
Martínez: The Republican Party has made gains with Latino voters for over a decade now. And in Texas, three of the five districts Republicans hope to grab would add more Latino voters to those districts. How do Texas Democrats explain why Republicans appear very confident that their gains will Latinos will continue — a group that used to reliably vote for Democrats?
Wu: We've said this time and time again. The congressional members have said this. This is not about Democrat or Republican for us. This is not about gaining or losing seats for us. This is about protecting the communities that have fought for decades to build up power. People, communities that have been discriminated against in the past. And they finally built up some voice, some power and the Republicans, in response, are either going to split them apart or smash them together so that they have even less power. This is just flatly wrong. We don't care who they vote for. We were just trying to keep these communities together and not violate the Constitution. The real danger of this, if this spreads, if this goes on, if blue states do this, if red states do this, that is the end of our democracy. Because once people stop listening to us and they can win without doing what the people want, it's game over quickly.
This digital article was edited by Treye Green. The radio version was edited by Adam Bearne and produced by Nia Dumas.
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