Gov. Greg Abbott filed an emergency petition Tuesday with the Texas Supreme Court to remove state Rep. Gene Wu from office after Wu and other Democrats left the state to delay Republican efforts to redraw congressional district lines.
The lawsuit from Abbott, a Republican, argues that Wu, the Texas House Democratic Caucus chair, violated the state Constitution and that his absence amounted to abandoning office.
With their absence, Democratic lawmakers have denied Republicans the legislative quorum needed to move forward with plans to redraw congressional boundaries and give the GOP five more House seats in Congress.
The suit argues that quorum provisions make attendance in the state House “an affirmative constitutional obligation.”
“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,” the lawsuit says.
“Absconding from the State during a constitutionally mandated session, not for lawful cause, but for the very purpose of subverting the Legislature’s ability to function, constitutes a flagrant violation of Wu’s oath and is an intentional abandonment of his constitutional duty,” it adds.
Wu said in a statement Tuesday evening that he was not abandoning his duties.
“Let me be unequivocal about my actions and