by According to Staff Reports
In order for Republicans to regulate my movements and keep an eye on me with police escorts, I will not give away my dignity as a legitimately elected lawmaker. The majority-minority members of my community look to me to advocate for their rights. I am aware that these maps will hurt my constituents when I click the vote button, and I will not passively tolerate their prejudice or intimidation.
Nicole Collier, Representative
In solidarity, a number of Texas State Representative Nicole Collier’s (D-Fort Worth) coworkers are tearing up their permission papers and joining her on the floor.
Republicans believed they had broken our resolve when they arrested Rep. State Representative Nicole Collier for refusing police monitoring.Rather, these House Democrats from Texas are spending the entire night on the House floor.Tomorrow, the battle for equitable maps will continue.Join us there:#txlege txhdc.co/fightbackTonight, State Representative Rhetta Andrews Bowers will be on the floor.Shaw, Rep. Penny MoralesSalman BhojaniNicole Collier, a state representativeFor State Representative 137, Gene WuPlesa, Representative Mihaela E.Hernandez, Cassandra Garcia
As they join Rep. Collier, who has been detained on the Texas House of Representatives floor for almost 48 hours (as of this writing) for refusing to consent to 24-hour surveillance as a requirement to be allowed to leave the capital complex, you may view their comments.
Watch in real time here:
@texashdc on YouTube: https://youtube.com
Seven-term Democratic lawmaker and former Texas Legislative Black Caucus chair Rep. Collier is refusing to sign a permission card that would appoint her a taxpayer-funded law enforcement escort who would be forced to track her whereabouts around the state, around-the-clock.The demand for permission slips is the most recent Republican strategy to keep an eye on and manage Democratic lawmakers after they successfully broke the quorum, which stopped Governor Abbott’s discriminatory redistricting scheme and ignited a nationwide movement. Republicans have denied access to television cameras hoping to record Rep. Collier’s protest and have shut down the House galleries entirely, preventing any Texans from seeing her act of defiance firsthand.
As a representative of a Fort Worth majority-minority district, Rep. Collier saw this as an extension of her opposition to Republicans’ discriminatory redistricting plans intended to quiet minority voters.”To defend their rights and voices, my constituents sent me to Austin,” Rep. Collier stated. In order for Republicans to regulate my movements and keep an eye on me with police escorts, I will not give away my dignity as a legitimately elected lawmaker. The majority-minority members of my community look to me to advocate for their rights. I am aware that these maps will hurt my constituents when I click the vote button, and I will not passively tolerate their prejudice or intimidation.In order to restore public access and transparency to legislative procedures, Texas House Democrats are standing by Rep. Collier’s right to protest and are urging Republican leadership to quickly end this unprecedented incarceration of a sitting lawmaker and reopen the galleries.
Representative Vince Perez:
Spending time on the House Floor was quite cold! Together with State Representative Nicole Collier, Rep. Vincent Vince Perez and I supported #GoodTrouble! We are aware that the redistricting process is rigged. In the #txlege, Democrats may be a minority, but we’re not giving up! We appreciate your support and stand with the Texas House Democratic Caucus. Let’s grab coffee!
Kamala Harris, the vice president, offered a supportive message:
History will tell you that you were the heroes of this time.
The country is keeping an eye on Texas.
The Legislative Black Caucus of Texas issued the following statement:
It is an intolerable abuse of power and a clear assault on democratic values to detain one of the most powerful Black women in state politics.Instead of being punished for their bravery, our state deserves leaders who are honored for their service. It is imperative that Representative Collier be released from the House chamber right away.
