Texas Dems add ear-piercing audio to their bad optics, belt out ‘We Shall Overcome’ at awkward presser

After more than 50 Texas Democrats fled the state of Texas to stall the passage of voter integrity laws, they gave a press conference in Washinton, DC, and proceeded to sing a horrific rendition of “We Shall Overcome” to show they will not be silenced or something.

The lawmakers were slammed as ‘cowards’ after they were spotted on a private jet as they “fled” the state, not wearing masks, with a case of beer in tow. After they landed and spoke to the press, they sang off-key as Texas Governor Greg Abbott vowed to arrest the Democrats the minute they step foot back in the state. He threatened to call special sessions “all the way up until election next year.”

“Once they step back into the state of Texas, they will be arrested and brought to the Texas capital and we will be conducting business,” Abbott told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham.

Appearing with members of Texas’ federal congressional delegation outside the U.S. Capitol, Democrats urged Congress to pass the For the People Act, which hands controls of elections over to the federal government. They also want the John Lewis Voting Rights Act passed, which is solidifies key provisions in the Voting Rights Act.

(Video Credit: Storyful News)

“We are here in DC, our nation’s capital because we want to protect the civil right to vote for millions of Texans. We were quite literally forced to move and leave the state of Texas. We also know that we are living right now on borrowed time in Texas, and we can’t stay here indefinitely to run out the clock, to stop Republican anti-voter bills. That’s why we need Congress to act now, and pass the For The People Act,” state Representative Rhetta Bowers proclaimed. “Texas Democrats will use everything in our power to fight back, but we need Congress to act now.”

“We left Texas, not because we want to,” state Rep. Chris Turner and chair of the House Democratic Caucus, told reporters in the Dulles parking lot. “It breaks our heart to do it. We are in a fight to save our democracy.” The Caucus paid the $100,000 for the two private jets that flew the Democrats from Texas to DC.

Voter integrity bills under consideration in the Texas House and Senate would reportedly eliminate drive-thru and 24-hour early voting, expand early voting hours in some counties, require identification when voting by mail, increase criminal penalties for some election officials who don’t follow regulations, and give more power to poll watchers.

Chris Turner, who is the chair of the Texas House Democratic Caucus, stated that at least 57 members of the 150-member Texas House have instructed the body’s clerk to lock their voting machines inside the chamber. That effectively prevents Republicans from obtaining the 100-member quorum needed to hold a vote. He declared that Democrats were prepared to remain outside of the state until the conclusion of the special legislative session. They are calling it a “suppression session.”

“Our intent is to stay out and kill this bill this session, and use the intervening time — I think 24, 25 days now before the end of this session — to implore the folks in this building behind us to pass federal voting rights legislation to protect voters in Texas and across the country,” Turner remarked referencing the Capitol.

Rafael Anchia, who is the chair of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, claimed that the governor had “poisoned the entire process” and said Democrats would continue to fight the Republicans and their voter integrity laws.

“We’re not doing this for Democrats. We’re doing this for Republicans, we’re doing this for Independents, we’re doing this for north Texans and south Texans and east and west Texans,” Anchia emphasized in a statement. “We are not going to buckle to ‘The Big Lie’ in the state of Texas. The Big Lie that has resulted in anti-democratic legislation across the United States.”

Rep. James Talarico tweeted, “My Democratic colleagues and I are leaving the state to break quorum and kill the Texas voter suppression bill. We’re flying to DC to demand Congress pass the For The People Act and save our democracy. Good trouble. #txlege.”

He dramatically added, “Just landed in Memphis on our way to DC. Thank y’all for your well wishes. We left behind our families, our livelihoods, & our beloved Texas. But our sacrifice is nothing compared to the sacrifices brave Americans have made throughout history to protect the sacred right to vote.”

“This taxpayer-funded vacation was taken at the expense of Texans who elected us to lead,” remarked state Rep. Jacey Jetton (R) in a public statement. “Without even attempting to negotiate or debate the issues, the House Democrats took a private jet to DC in order to avoid hard conversations, all while continuing to receive a paycheck from the tax dollars of hard-working Texans.”

This isn’t the first time this stunt has been pulled by Democrats. They fled the state earlier this summer for the same reason. And in 2003, they left the state to Oklahoma over redistricting. It accomplished pretty much nothing.

The Democrats’ so-called “sacrifice” was mocked and derided on Twitter:

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