By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Texas State Representative Nicole Collier, a Democrat, refused to sign a “permission slip” for a mandatory police escort imposed by Republicans, remaining overnight in the Capitol as a result. This action was a form of protest against restrictions implemented by Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows, following the return of Democrats who had previously left the state to block a redistricting effort. Collier’s stance garnered support from fellow Democrats, who condemned the GOP’s actions as authoritarian and reminiscent of discriminatory practices. Several Democrats voiced their disapproval of the measures, with some characterizing the restrictions as an infringement on rights and an overreach of power.
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Essentially Kidnapping: Texas Democrat Barred From Leaving Capitol Building Without Escort
The situation in Texas feels like something straight out of a dystopian novel. We’re talking about a Texas Democrat, and the crux of the issue is the seemingly simple act of leaving a building. But it’s far from simple. This individual is reportedly barred from leaving the Capitol without an escort. When you break it down, it raises immediate questions about basic freedoms and what the law actually allows.
This isn’t just a matter of not being allowed to “leave work.” It goes way beyond that. This person is, in essence, being detained. The whole scenario smacks of false imprisonment, if not a full-blown kidnapping. Imagine this happening at your job – being physically prevented from leaving unless someone “watches” you outside of work. Most people would be appalled, and rightly so. What happened to the concept of due process, of basic human rights?
The “escorts” aren’t there for protection. They’re police minders. Their job is to ensure that these Texas Democrats are physically present in the chambers to meet quorum requirements set by the Texas Constitution. The lengths they are willing to go to are concerning. Handcuffs? Gags? It’s difficult to imagine this is how a democratic process is supposed to work. The entire concept feels fundamentally wrong.
The underlying issue, as I understand it, is that the Texas Democrats are generally ignored and are not allowed to contribute to the way the Texas legislature operates. Their role, it seems, is primarily to be present for quorum requirements. The implication is that, if the Republicans could find a way to circumvent that need, they would likely lock the Democrats out entirely. That paints a picture of power imbalance that’s troubling to say the least.
One can imagine some of the interesting antics to play out if faced with such a situation. One would use the escorts to their absolute advantage. Lunch? Strip club for steaks. Groceries? The escort can carry the bags. Meetings with colleagues? The escort can drive you to a strip club and then church. Make it ridiculously absurd. Dead drops in parks with notes to no one, covered in filth. Signal with your phone in airplane mode. AirTags on the escorts.
The fact that some Democrats signed a permission slip, or that the situation may have been framed around those rules isn’t really the point. The core problem is the forced physical presence and the restriction of movement. It certainly doesn’t seem like a healthy way for a government to operate.
The political overtones here are heavy. The Republican party is being described as becoming an enemy of the state situation: hostile, vengeful, and overly dramatic. The political divide is stark.
This all stems from the Texas House Rules. The relevant section of the Texas House Rules states that when a call of the house is moved for and seconded by 15 members and ordered by a majority vote, all doors leading out of the hall shall be locked and no member is permitted to leave the house without the speaker’s written permission. Absentees can be arrested, wherever they may be found, by the sergeant-at-arms or an officer appointed by the sergeant-at-arms. In a state that’s been trending towards a purple color for some time, maintaining single-party rule has, evidently, forced some increasingly drastic maneuvers.
This situation makes you wonder about the foundations of our legal system, about freedom and the basic right to move freely. It calls into question how far a political party is willing to go to maintain power. This has to be a clear overreach of power, whether it’s labeled as “false imprisonment,” “civil arrest,” or, more directly, “kidnapping.”