The Clipboard: Texas primaries to be postponed?

From an article¹:

The state's Republican leadership is looking into the possibility of postponing the March congressional primaries if the boycotting Democratic senators continue to delay the GOP effort to draw new districts. (link)

Except that it requires quorum of the Senate to cancel the primaries. Checkmate again. I think the Texas Republicans are out of their effing minds. Read the story for more details.

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Complete text of the article, GOP ponders tactic: No map, no primaries, by Ken Herman and David Pasztor

The state's Republican leadership is looking into the possibility of postponing the March congressional primaries if the boycotting Democratic senators continue to delay the GOP effort to draw new districts.

And Senate Republicans, eager to enforce fines it ordered earlier this week for the missing Democrats, today are expected to OK penalties that could include withholding the Democrats' access to conference and meeting rooms, limiting their postage, eliminating their Capitol and cutting off their cell phones.

A Senate source said the penalties would be effective in five days if the fines are not paid.

Some Democrats are hoping that any map approved after Sept. 1 will not get the required U.S. Department of Justice approval in time for the Dec. 1 start of candidate filing for the March 2 primaries.

"I don't know whether there is a practical deadline or not," Gov. Rick Perry said, reiterating his intent to call as many special sessions as it takes to get a new map. "There are so many options on the table relative to moving primaries so that you can get the DOJ's approval."

Asked if he would advocate postponing the primaries, Perry said, "We will address those issues as they face us. But we need to get back to the work of the people of the state of Texas."

David Beckwith, spokesman for Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, said the Senate leadership also has been considering the postponement option.

Dewhurst "thinks the Legislature has a duty to redistrict, and if it can't be done in the appropriate time, in time for the scheduled primaries, it would be wise to postpone it until they can perform their duty," Beckwith said. Beckwith said efforts to get the 11 Democrats to return from New Mexico could be helped if there is no deadline for drawing new districts.

"They are apparently trying to run the clock out until the effective day for review of a new plan," he said.

Democrats, who hold a 17-15 edge in the state's U.S. House delegation, have argued that there is no duty to draw new districts. The existing map was drawn by federal judges in 2001 after lawmakers could not agree on a plan. Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott has said the Legislature can let the existing map stand.

In Albuquerque, the boycotting state Democrats — who have scoffed at Senate-imposed fines that kicked in Thursday — were equally dismissive about postponed primaries.

Sen. Gonzalo Barrientos, D-Austin, said such a move is not likely to succeed because a date change would have to be passed by the House and Senate.

"They don't have a quorum in the Texas Senate," Barrientos said.

Beckwith said it might be possible to seek a court order to delay the primaries.

"Sometimes, courts have effectively delayed these things," he said. "But it would be preferable to do it with the Legislature."

The back and forth about the March primaries came as both sides remained intransigent in their positions. The Democrats insist they'll be gone as long as it takes to kill redistricting. Perry, who has the power to call special sessions, said he will keep the Legislature in session as long as needed to complete the task.

At 4 p.m. Thursday, the fines approved this week by the Senate Republicans began tolling. The levy is set at $1,000 per senator for the first day. It then doubles each day to a maximum of $5,000 per day.

Four of the Senate Democrats were in their hotel headquarters when the fines began accumulating. The moment passed, however, with no notice.

If they remain gone through the scheduled Aug. 26 end of the special session, each of the boycotting Democrats would owe $57,000. The Republican senators who approved the fines voted to require them to be paid from personal funds.

The fines are part of failed Republican efforts to force or entice the Democrats to return.

The Democrats say the fines are illegal and they don't think they will ever have to pay them. Some Republicans quietly agree that the sanctions probably will not be enforced.

State senators — those still in Austin — today might discuss ways to enforce the fines. Potential enforcement methods were discussed Thursday during a conference call among Republican senators.

Dewhurst on Wednesday said enforcement options included deducting the money from each senator's postage and travel budgets.

In Albuquerque, the Texas holdouts were joined for their regular morning news conference by five Democratic state senators from Colorado, where a GOP-backed redistricting plan was forced through that state's legislature this year.

Although the Colorado Democrats walked out when the plan was being pushed through, Colorado rules require only a majority for a quorum, so the 18 Republicans were able to prevail over the 17 Democrats.

It takes two-thirds of the chamber for the Texas House or Senate to do business.

Drawing parallels between the two states, Texas Democrats continued to argue that President Bush and Republican leaders are engaged in a power grab.

"The effort will have a backlash on President Bush," said Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio. "I believe it will hurt him in his re-election efforts because we, the minorities, will remember."

reference=http://www.statesman.com/legislature/content/coxnet/texas/legislature/0803/0815redist.html