Texas Democratic lawmakers who fled the state to block Republicans from passing a voting bill started to head home this weekend, securing a legal win on Monday that may allow them to return to the state and still obstruct legislation.
A group of Democratic lawmakers secured a temporary restraining order on Sunday, blocking Republicans from having them forcibly returned to the House chamber.
“Does the government have the power to arrest its political opponents — that’s what it boils down to,” state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer told NBC News.
The order, signed by Travic County Judge Brad Urrutia, a Democrat,prevents the Texas Democrats from being arrested, detained, or confined in any way for two weeks. Republicans will have a chance to fight the order in a hearing scheduled for August 20.
Of the 57 Democrats who traveled to Washington and used their physical absence to paralyze the state Legislature, about 26 remain, state Rep. Ron Reynolds told NBC News on Sunday night — not enough to deny Republicans of their needed quorum in Austin.
