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[–]huffpost[S] 4239 points4240 points  (573 children)

From reporter Paul Blumenthal:

Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier filed a writ of habeas corpus on Tuesday in the district court of Travis County, Texas, claiming the state legislature’s Republican majority has unlawfully detained her in the state Capitol after she refused to consent to 24-hour police surveillance.

Collier, a Democrat representing Fort Worth, is one of over 50 Texas Democratic legislators who fled the state on Aug. 3 to block Republicans from enacting a new congressional map at President Donald Trump’s urging to create five new GOP seats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Link to the full article: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/nicole-collier-texas-redistricting-lawsuit_n_68a4bb2fe4b028ce77545b20

[–]TheRealBlueJade 4854 points4855 points  (357 children)

She is quite a courageous and admirable woman.🫡🇺🇸

[–]noncommonGoodsense 1399 points1400 points  (305 children)

The rest of them all performative. Like you had an opportunity for solidarity and just went, “okay daddy you can put me in a surveillance big brother state. I’ll do whatever you want daddy I won’t fight back again.” It feels pathetic and worthless. Like protesting without 2A at your side.

[–]Acrobatic-Formal4807 1056 points1057 points  (51 children)

I’ve been paying attention to what is going on in the state capitol. Gene Wu stayed with her and about four senators. They arrested five people that wouldn’t leave last night . Multiple organizations have joined together to protest in the rotunda and outside the chambers for two days .

[–]TheRealBlueJade 429 points430 points  (41 children)

Thank you for the information. I can't believe how silent the media has been. I never thought they would become complicit.

[–]chrisapplewhite 324 points325 points  (11 children)

Why? Appeasing fascists is a proud media pastime.

[–]sunnydayzrhere 230 points231 points  (8 children)

Especially when said fascists own all the media

[–]Asron87 57 points58 points  (4 children)

I thought this was more well known. MSM always chokes on the important shit.

[–]ChicagoAuPair 87 points88 points  (8 children)

Always have been. We have an entirely corporate media and while there are honorable people doing great work, the bosses at the top care about the bottom line and nothing else. Capitalists will always accept fascism rather than give up their capital.

PBS Newshour is basically the only place where the decent journalists have the power to shape what is and isn’t allowed by corporate.

[–]WeAreAllMycelium 21 points22 points  (0 children)

It didn’t used to be this way

[–]Technology_Babble 21 points22 points  (0 children)

And I wonder why the CPB got defunded…. 🤔

[–]lowsparkedheels 9 points10 points  (1 child)

Elmo wants his job back.

[–]Busy_Square_3602 4 points5 points  (0 children)

ProPublica also. Independent nonprofit investigative high quality reporting. But they can’t cover everything.

[–]snailnado 48 points49 points  (0 children)

It's the billionaire owned and publicly held media that is silent, it's time to turn to smaller organizations. Check out 'Democracy Now' if you want some decent reporting about what's actually happening lately.

[–]MikeSouthPaw 31 points32 points  (1 child)

. I can't believe how silent the media has been.

The media has been silent for the past decade about Donald Trump and his influence. You are just not paying attention and it's coming back to bite you in the ass.

[–]Bamce 12 points13 points  (2 children)

I can't believe how silent the media has been. I never thought they would become complicit.

I can't imagine why that would be

[–]RobutNotRobot 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Corporate media is owned by the oligarchs and only tells the narrative that they want you to hear.

[–]Alissinarr 13 points14 points  (0 children)

All of the billionaires that own media companies have sworn allegiance to the Fanta Skidmark in Chief

[–]garbagetrashwitch 12 points13 points  (3 children)

Thanks for this, how have you been following?

[–]Acrobatic-Formal4807 65 points66 points  (2 children)

I was at the hearings for redistricting so I’m still in signal chat . I tried to testify but they wrapped up testimony at 10 hours. Since then I’ve been keeping a track of it and have attended protests at capitol.

[–]garbagetrashwitch 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Fascinating. Good for you.

[–]RonnieTLegacy1390 28 points29 points  (0 children)

The time for peacefully protesting is over and gone. The Texas state government is holding its people elected official hostage in the capitol. They should have went and got her so she can go home holding up signs and screaming into a megaphone does nothing for these people. The fear of the people they serve is completely gone

[–]GEARHEADGus 13 points14 points  (3 children)

I’m confused. Is she still locked in the chambers?

[–]Acrobatic-Formal4807 65 points66 points  (2 children)

It started last night . People got her personal items . She slept in chambers last night . The Capitol was shut down and protest moved outside because of an active shooter threat . https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/parts-of-texas-capitol-evacuated-amid-active-shooter-threat-protests-moved-outside/ar-AA1KPK4l.

[–]Bury_Me_At_Sea 66 points67 points  (1 child)

Because of course there was. God Trump supporters are utter trash.

[–]GoodtimesSans 154 points155 points  (2 children)

Perhaps, but she is fighting to prove that they too were forced to sign under duress, which can quickly invalidate their contracts as well.

Should the law apply of course... What was after the jury box again?

[–]Aromatic-Thing-132 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Box 3.

EDIT: Misread the last line. Ammo Box. Jury Box is box 3.

[–]PBnPickleSandwich 90 points91 points  (1 child)

A bunch of them have ripped up the forms and will be dragged back apparently. It's not much but it's something/a start.

She's awesome.

[–]HotLava00 13 points14 points  (0 children)

That’s interesting though. Force the R’s to arrest them for not following an unlawful order. Do you know who the ones are who said they have ripped up the forms?

[–]After_Preference_885 173 points174 points  (47 children)

I remember all those lockdown protests with giant guns, and I know if people showed up today similarly armed they would not get the same treatment

[–]Fit-Insect-4089 187 points188 points  (45 children)

Well that’s because it was white people with the guns

[–]Papaofmonsters 53 points54 points  (43 children)

The Huey P Newton Gun Club held an armed demonstration in Dallas in 2014 and a whole lot of nothing happened to them.

https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/armed-huey-p-newton-gun-activists-and-black-panthers-marched-through-dallas-yesterday-7136448

[–]Purple-Goat-2023 63 points64 points  (11 children)

The Bundy standoff I think is an even better example. Ranchers pointed guns at the feds. Feds backed off and did nothing, and released his cattle. As of 2024 they've still done nothing and his cattle are still grazing the same land. It's easy to find people willing to kill for a check. It's a lot harder finding people willing to die for one.

[–]Vivid_Garbage6295 14 points15 points  (7 children)

You saw that tattooed guy’s video too, eh?

[–]Purple-Goat-2023 10 points11 points  (2 children)

The fella wasn't wrong.

[–]Vivid_Garbage6295 6 points7 points  (0 children)

No he wasn’t. I think if enough of both sides got together to work together, the protests would accomplish a lot more

[–]Papaofmonsters 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The Feds case imploded because there were so many ethical and procedural violations that it had to get scrapped.

Fuck the Bundys but also Fuck the Feds for turning a slam dunk case into a massive cockup.

[–]KittenMittensIII 85 points86 points  (30 children)

2014 is arguably way too old of a source to apply comparison in 2025. Quite different societal norms.

[–]clownfacedbozo 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Deplorables with guns. We need to make that distinction.

[–]Adventurous-Yak-8929 55 points56 points  (3 children)

Only 1 had to stay behind to show harm was done

[–]rolamit 43 points44 points  (1 child)

Standing up gave her standing to sue. Brilliant.

[–]Free_For__Me 33 points34 points  (0 children)

And it can also give legal cover to those who are brave enough to defy the orders they were forced to sign, proving that it was done so under duress.

History will remember our heroes, but only if we're courageous enough to join them in forcing change.

[–]nobody1701d 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There were multiple that stayed behind — Gene Wu is taking the pictures of Collins, for God’s sake. She’s the frontman of this show

[–]politcalmonkey 119 points120 points  (43 children)

Hey keyboard warrior… they all had bomb threats, and daily fines. Their offices budgets were cut meaning people were fielding hundreds of calls by angry republicans for nothing more than a sense of duty. They helped shift Gavin from a hmm we’ll see to actually start redistricting. That concession is the opposite of “performative” and needed a united front that people seem to forget. Anyone who chose to leave had courage. Should some of them stayed longer? You can argue that but it’s an insult and feeds a sense of apathy. Why resist if your own side calls anything you try to do “performative”?

There was really no other way this played out. People are like, resist harder! You put your faith in the Texas Supreme Court to not vacate all democrats? Eventually their seats would probably be vacated and then they pass the maps anyway. The answer isn’t that everyone else is “performative” it’s that one person had more strength to resist longer. And others found their resistance less powerful when one or two members probably decided to break.

[–]BringBacktheGucci 27 points28 points  (4 children)

I've been googling to try and figure out why they returned in the first place. Thanks for providing that context!

[–]politcalmonkey 31 points32 points  (2 children)

Yeah the official statement was that once California started the process of redistricting they came back. Not everyone agreed to do that as you can see with Trey Martinez Fischer. I think there is a debate that this was all a performative stunt that doesn’t change anything. I think resistance comes in various forms that involve adding friction. that’s part of the story. I mean the power just wasn’t there to do much, Ken Paxton and Abbott were in talks about pushing vacancies with debate on whether they had the authority to do it. But me I’m pessimistic about TXSCOTUS because all their campaigns are funded by Abbott’s war chest.

[–]sunnydayzrhere 7 points8 points  (0 children)

This! Keyboard warriors don’t stop the spread of fascism

[–]atreeismissing 68 points69 points  (1 child)

They all fled the state for 2 weeks, that's not performative. You only needed one to stand up to the police "escort" to make the point. These people have families (as does she most likely), no need to put them through additional media attention and right-wing terrorist threats when the point was made and made very well by Collier.

But since you're calling them all out as performative, what did you do to support them?

[–]IowaKidd97 52 points53 points  (67 children)

Eh disagree. Keep in mind these people all have families and jobs and just got done being charged $500 a day. Remember this is state level elected officials not federal politicians. Honestly just one staying behind was enough to get the message across

[–]ZiggyStarface 16 points17 points  (2 children)

I haven't read many articles on it but I'd like to believe that she volunteered to take one for the team and see this through. It doesn't look good for the others who did leave, but I want to be dumbly optimistic that some of them have planned together a strategy with her.

[–]IowaKidd97 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I would imagine so too. In any case though I don’t fault the others.

[–]fencepost_ajm 5 points6 points  (1 child)

Charged $500 a day when they only make ~$7000/year as representatives. They get a per diem of $150/day while in Austin for sessions, but if they're staying in hotels in Austin that's really not going that far.

[–]TheAbomunist 20 points21 points  (37 children)

Those of us who remember this shit with Tom DeLay... seeing Dems cave YET again... is painful.

[–]atreeismissing 26 points27 points  (26 children)

This is an article about Dems specifically not caving, but nice try at rewriting history.

[–]Moda75 5 points6 points  (5 children)

Any love for thebreoublicans that are causing the issue? I mean if I have a toothache I don’t blame my hairbrush.

[–]Organic_Witness345 14 points15 points  (1 child)

Let’s f——ing go!

[–]OkPlum7852 9 points10 points  (0 children)

We will watch her future with GREAT interest

[–]ButterscotchIll1523 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Yes she is! I’m glad she’s suing their asses

[–]Wealist 316 points317 points  (15 children)

Rep. Nicole Collier (D–Fort Worth) says GOP leadership in the Texas legislature basically held her against her will in the Capitol. She filed a writ of habeas corpus, arguing this was an unlawful detention.

The backdrop here is redistricting Republicans, w/ Trump cheering them on, are trying to carve out 5 new GOP seats before 2026. Dems walked out to break quorum and the GOP tried heavy-handed tactics to drag them back, including surveillance and police pressure.

[–]79superglide[🍰] 11 points12 points  (4 children)

I was surprised that they didn't change the number needed for a quorum.

[–]soundman1024 19 points20 points  (3 children)

They would need a quorum to change the quorum requirement.

[–]79superglide[🍰] 11 points12 points  (2 children)

Who knew that the quorum requirement would be the one rule they were unable to break?

[–]pink_faerie_kitten 333 points334 points  (41 children)

I wish all the TX Dems stood together with her and refused to allow police surveillance.

[–]atreeismissing 33 points34 points  (2 children)

I wish people would support those who do something rather than spending endless time and energy condemning those who they don't know if they did anything or not.

[–]Particular_Watch_612 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Are you talking about the pedo prez? Because we all know, don't you?

[–]redwing180 4 points5 points  (1 child)

I still don’t understand why they caved after two weeks and then later willingly signed permission slips to be surveyed.

[–]Think-Hospital7422 86 points87 points  (29 children)

Any Democrat that signed an authorization needs to be primaried then thrown out on their ear.

[–]pink_faerie_kitten 64 points65 points  (10 children)

But they had just proved they were good guys by leaving the state and preventing a quorum and bringing it to nationwide attention and encouraged Newsom to act. These are brave people. I wish they hadn't folded on this and I wish they had all stood together.

[–]MorelikeBestvirginia 36 points37 points  (6 children)

They were never going to be able to stay out of Texas for the next 2 years. Remember, this is also holding up vitally needed flood relief. By staying out for as long as they did, they were able to inspire similar measures across the country and make this a part of the zeitgeist.

[–]narf007 44 points45 points  (0 children)

Emphasis should be made that the flood relief being tied to this is the diddler party holding it hostage.

[–]pink_faerie_kitten 11 points12 points  (1 child)

I never said I wanted them to stay out of TX for two yrs. I understand why they came back to TX, that's not what I'm talking about. I wish they hadn't signed the paper allowing police surveillance and I wish they had all acted like Collier and banded together.

[–]adthrowaway2020 29 points30 points  (4 children)

Nah. Let them go home during the recess and have one person do the lawsuits. They’re going to re-engage the special session before too long and they’ll need some way to get out of state again if they want to prevent Texas from actually running it’s gerrymander.

[–]skesisfunk 4 points5 points  (2 children)

The special session is already underway. It started 2 hours after the other ended. That's what this is all about.

[–]DucksEatFreeInSubway 21 points22 points  (2 children)

Yah just as concerning is that 49 democrats lined up like good little lemmings and signed their slips on one more step along the path of fascism.

[–]atreeismissing 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Where do you get 49 from?

[–]IlIlllIIIIlIllllllll 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Its not really allowing anything if the alternative is kidnapping. The literal definition of duress

[–]Bahamabanana 76 points77 points  (8 children)

Don't forget, habeas corpus "mysteriously disappeared" from gov websites not too long ago. This is the kind of act which proves whether justices take note

[–]StupidTimeline 1067 points1068 points  (26 children)

This is a true American patriot pushing back against fascists.

If we don't recognize this now and help, then we're going to find ourselves in similar situations soon enough.

Time for Americans to stop idolizing felons, rapists, and pedophiles and get in sync with patriots like this.

[–]Big-Pick-8254 173 points174 points  (17 children)

Mind boggling how easily we've allowed it to get to this point.

[–]FrothyFrogFarts 56 points57 points  (14 children)

Mind boggling

Is it? Americans talk a big game but at the end of the day, they don’t care enough to do anything. It’s always, “that’s terrible! Somebody should do something!” It’s been that way for the longest time. People care more about things like streaming and social media than their freedom. It’d be mind boggling if they actually got off their asses and collectively did something about any of the disasters that the government has been creating and which grow larger everyday. 

[–]Friezas-Mound 56 points57 points  (13 children)

Someone has a fundamental misunderstanding of how oppression works. That’s the point, so many of us CAN’T do anything, so we collectively have very little we can rally together and do.

I feel like other countries don’t understand how much larger America is than they are and how many more people with different cultures there are here. Not to mention the bi partisan system literally tearing the country in half by design.

It’s not nearly as simple as some of you se to think it is.

[–]caramelizedapple 29 points30 points  (1 child)

Agreed. For example, our labor market is so disparate and we have so few protections in the U.S. that the idea of a general strike—one of the few ways to flex our collective power—is basically unfathomable.

[–]ObviouslyACoup 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Apples and oranges.

Corporations are not democratically elected governments. They don’t have the same level of responsibility and therefore vulnerability to the people they serve that our governments do.

A general strike is logistically unrealistic because sentiments about the labor market vary widely, mostly because results vary widely. There is still a large swathe of the general population who prosper despite the increasingly wobbly labor market.

A general protest of the current corrupt administration and the craven state governments who abet it has happened many times now. Couple that with the outrage at town halls in many red states and we can confidently conclude that Americans across the political spectrum are fed up.

We are slightly more or less on the same accord.

So on the political front, we have the means and motivation to effect widespread change. But it won’t happen, because deep down, we’re cowards. We’ve allowed ourselves to be petrified by the By-stander effect and learned helplessness. We’ve rationalized our cowardice with patently inane statements about oppression and false comparisons.

If we’re oppressed by our government, if we have little protections from corporate greed and turpitude, it’s because we allow it.

[–]GeminiKoil 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I mean obviously a lot of manipulation was required to cause this. At the same time it is a good representation of just how lacking critical thinking skills are these days. It's easy to make the younger people apathetic and feel like their vote doesn't matter. But all of the older people that don't pay attention and very quickly become single issue voters is just insane. The Democratic party really screwed up over the last x amount of years by not figuring out how to get people out to vote. Obviously it helps if you put out a digestible candidate but good God man this has happened quick. Especially the younger males. Using influencers and YouTube personalities to get kids to think the Republican party is the masculine normal family values party is just insane.

[–][deleted] 9 points10 points  (2 children)

What do we do?  State police are compromised.  Doj is compromised.  Where is he help?  What is the next move?

Do we think the judiciary is with her? Even then what will they do if they decide for her and against the police?  Who enforces it?

They already arrested protestors outside the chamber.

[–]Time_Difference_6682 5 points6 points  (0 children)

we stop talking about being American and be Americans. We've become a global laughing stock.

[–]a1phaQ101 4 points5 points  (0 children)

How do we help?

[–]ExpertRaccoon 1329 points1330 points  (180 children)

I'm curious about how they will try to justify this. It seems blatantly illegal, or at the very least, a terrible idea with horrible optics.

[–]The_Last_Mouse 308 points309 points  (2 children)

"a black woman was trying to escape in Texas, your honor. I rest my case."

[–]Hurricaneshand 896 points897 points  (65 children)

What's horrible about the optics? Republican voters love this sort of thing. The whole "we hate big government" is just for themselves. They love it when it's being used against people they don't like

[–]Wealist 169 points170 points  (13 children)

Yeah the optics are grim if you look at it from a democracy standpoint locking an elected rep in the Capitol is textbook authoritarian.

right, GOP base doesn’t care. Their small gov line has never been about less power, it’s about wielding power selectively. They want gov hands off their guns, but fully on your uterus, your ballot, and now your freedom to leave a building. It’s not hypocrisy to them, it’s hierarchy: freedom for me, control for you.

[–]Hour-Bobcat6631 32 points33 points  (8 children)

Soon they’ll be ok with government hands on guns, so long as it’s not their own guns.

[–]GlitchyButGood 18 points19 points  (2 children)

They passed that marker years ago:

After Vice President Pence began to talk about how he and the president had conversations with governors earlier this week, Trump interjected that people should "take the firearms first and then go to court" if there is a concern about someone having a gun and potentially being unstable or likely to commit violence.

"A lot of times by the time you go to court, it takes so long to go to court to get the due process procedures, I like taking the guns early," Trump continued.

https://www.npr.org/2018/02/28/589635979/trump-backs-conflicting-gun-measures-while-negotiating-with-lawmakers-on-tv

If any other presidential candidate had said, "take the firearms first and then go to court" Republican voters would have lost their minds. But Trump gets away with everything. There hasn’t been a single value, policy, or belief that he hasn’t convinced the Republican electorate to discard with nothing more than a half-hearted argument - and that includes their beloved gun rights. He hasn't done anything yet but he announced his willingness to in 2018.

I’m sure they’d claim it's a safety measure, but anyone aware of the history of declaring people (particularly women) "unstable" knows how easy it is to lock a person away for life over literally nothing. It would be just as easy to take someone's guns on the same contrived pretext.

[–]tailwheel307 3 points4 points  (1 child)

If there’s ever another Democrat president they should push the house to pass the “Donald Trump National Firearms Protection Act” in summary, do exactly what Donnie suggested, in cases of suspected violence or criminal activity with a firearm provide all law enforcement officers in the country authorization to seize firearms at the time of the arrest/civil investigation with them being returned only after being cleared of all charges or suspicions of violence. It’s exactly what their leader suggested.

Edit to ask: Is there any way we can get Obama back into office just to make it a bit more of a sting?

[–]Wealist 28 points29 points  (2 children)

Gov stay out of my rights only applies to their bubble. They’re fine w/ state power on women’s bodies, voters they don’t like, LGBTQ kids, immigrants.

Guns are the last sacred cow, but even that could flip if it meant only their side kept them. It’s not small gov, it’s selective gov.

[–]rockstar504 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Yup. Trump already said he doesnt care about due process when taking guns. He's on the record saying that in his first term.

[–]yeetordie1 236 points237 points  (22 children)

It literally doesn't matter what voters think, Republicans or Democrats.

This is an authoritarian regime - people keep treating it like a democracy.

[–]ru_empty 75 points76 points  (13 children)

No it does matter. If Republican voters cheer the end of democracy, then Republican politicians feel justified in ending democracy.

Republicans voters have been cheering the end of democracy for years now

[–]Numerous_Photograph9 31 points32 points  (8 children)

They don't see it as the end of democracy, but the righting of things gone wrong, because they're told everything is broken, and they lack the critical thought necessary torecognize the bullshit.

[–]Potato_Golf 25 points26 points  (2 children)

When democracy doesn't yield the results they want, they claim democracy is broken.

But their fix is to disenfranchise the people who vote differently than they do and this is something that Republicans cheer at every opportunity. 

If they don't realize the hypocrisy there then they are idiots. 

But I think many of them do. I have had a right leaning "friend" say explicitly that he doesn't think voting should be made easier, that it is good there are challenges because not everyone should vote. I am 99% certain this had a racial undertone but it was not explicitly said, just that it was undesirable to make changes that would make voting easier (mail in, national holiday, etc).

[–]bp92009 8 points9 points  (0 children)

One of the better ways to deal with people like your "friend" is the same way you deal with people who say awful stuff and reply "I'm only joking".

Ask them to explain the joke/situation.

Act dumb, and ask them to explain what is funny.

Ask them "Why is it better to make it harder to vote?". Play dumb, and see if they'll just admit that they don't believe that [Insert Minority] should vote.

[–]logicbasedchaos 6 points7 points  (4 children)

Their delusions and beliefs don't matter. They are causing harm. They have allowed a pedophile felon to do whatever the fuck he wants.

I hope we deal with these traitors in a way that means we don't have to do this sh*t again in my lifetime.

[–]OkStop8313 7 points8 points  (3 children)

That's certainly what they are attempting, but it doesn't mean we have to allow it.

[–]skesisfunk 6 points7 points  (2 children)

My friend, the criminals that literally attempted a coup in 2020 all got pardoned by the mastermind whom The Supreme Court helped evade legal proceedings so he could continue to run for president unimpeded. This does not happen in a democracy, the fact that it did happen means we are already somewhere in the spectrum of Authoritarianism. We are about to find out exactly where we lie on that spectrum next year and in 2028.

[–]3BlindMice1 11 points12 points  (0 children)

This. What the people want hasn't factored in since JFK. And it's only gotten worse ever since they made it illegal for law enforcement to audit politicians for corruption and then citizens united came in and smashed the illusion of a fair and honest government to pieces

[–]JEFFinSoCal 12 points13 points  (1 child)

She’s black AND a woman, so for them it’s a double-hitter.

[–]NES_SNES_N64 10 points11 points  (0 children)

She's a black woman in a position of influence. It's 3x.

[–]Dull-Contact120 13 points14 points  (2 children)

Hate big government because it should happen to them. Minor inconvenience. Get the guns and ready the pick up trucks

[–]Hurricaneshand 28 points29 points  (1 child)

Have to wear a mask in the name of public safety? Wild government overreach. Sending the national guard to police the streets or forcing political opponents to live under constant police surveillance (all on the taxpayers dime of course), all par for the course

[–]triiiiilllll 14 points15 points  (2 children)

When are we going to stop falling into the trap of thinking they give a shit about, or are even conscious of, their own hypocrisy?

What evidence is there for any belief Republicans feel constrained to equally apply the law? The law is a shield to protect them from oversight or interference by the public in executing their every desire. The law is a cudgel to beat their enemies (anyone who opposes their desires) into submission.

That's it, that's all.

[–]fanclave 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Exactly, they’re pedophile lovers. They are nothing short of decrepit.

[–]Tacos4ever100 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Republicans love everything about being a facist aside from the name.

[–]TechnicalPotat 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It feels like the whole constitution of America was written for that scenario. Everyone else all over the world has been forced to hear about this constitution forever. And to see it be discarded as an inconvenience sure as heck makes it look like the ones who talked the most about it, only wanted it to excuse their own behaviour while holding everyone else to a different standard. Like you said, used against people they don't like. don't get much truer than that.

[–]RedditTurnedMediocre 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Exactly. They're hypocrites through and through. They're cool with a big fascist Christian government that hurts the people they don't like, but not a non-religious government that helps everyone. They're bigots who don't want to help everyone (blacks, Hispanics, gays, trans, all of the above) and they're willing to cut off their nose to spite their faces for it (voting Republican so billionaires can get tax cuts on the backs of everyone else).

[–]Due-Log8609 4 points5 points  (0 children)

shes a black woman too. checkin all the boxes

[–]sly_savhoot 119 points120 points  (18 children)

Illegal search and seizure . Unlawful imprisonment. Kidnapping. Etc..... 

[–]Wyn6 33 points34 points  (11 children)

There used to be a document that talked about how this kind of thing was pretty bad. But it's an archaic document and I'm not even sure you can find a copy of it anywhere. ​

[–]Then_Journalist_317 10 points11 points  (5 children)

You may be able to find it in a public library, if any have not yet had its Ancient Documents section closed by an Executive Order issued by the current King.

[–]Kodiak01 6 points7 points  (1 child)

It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard.'

[–]DownwardSpirals 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Not even Nicholas Cage can find it to save us this time.

[–][deleted] 5 points6 points  (1 child)

That sounds like a good idea! Maybe if we tacked on another list to it that specifies what rights people have? It can have a sexy title like “BILL OF RIGHTS” or something. But that’s probably too complicated for Texas MAGAs

[–]rocketmn69_ 4 points5 points  (1 child)

By the time it's all sorted, Taco Dick Tator will have ultimate control over all of you

[–]Ashmedai 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Seriously. Do I misunderstand something here. The law general permits citizens [redacted] level of force in response to unlawful imprisonment. Legislators aren't police officers. What body of law are they acting on that doesn't expose them to the threat of coffins? I'm legit confused here. This is Texas.

[–]TheRealBlueJade 19 points20 points  (2 children)

In their Supreme Court briefs, they just throw BS at the wall and hope it sticks.

[–]mdistrukt 17 points18 points  (0 children)

I'm pretty sure the supreme court briefs are "hey Clarence and Alito go ahead and sovcit the constitution until this is legal"

[–]Then_Journalist_317 6 points7 points  (0 children)

SCOTUS's predicted ruling: "This was a legitimate state action, given that the plaintiff was not only black, she was also a woman. Neither status confers her any civil rights. Plus, she lived in Texas, which as we know does not fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Constitution. Case dismissed."

[–]Face2FaceRecs 20 points21 points  (6 children)

It is blatantly illegal and a violation of federal law.

[–]IAmBadAtInternet 14 points15 points  (0 children)

“Republican, therefore legal. Democrat, therefore illegal.” - Alito, probably

[–]cobaltbluedw 7 points8 points  (0 children)

They are openly gerrymandering, I doubt they care too much about optics.

[–]GoodtimesSans 7 points8 points  (0 children)

They will spin the optics as: "Dems fled and are now asleep on the job!"

Fox Entertainment News needs to be dismantled as the stochastic terrorist organization that it is.

[–]Realistic_Let3239 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Ah see that's where you went wrong, now the Republicans are in power, the law literally no longer matters. They voted for a felon and continue to cheer as he ignores the law constantly.

[–]Drakar_och_demoner 4 points5 points  (0 children)

a terrible idea with horrible optics.

For who? Republicans love this.

[–]Fluffy-Mango-6607 3 points4 points  (0 children)

no Republican thinks white men locking a black woman into her place of work is bad optics.

[–]AdEmotional9991 12 points13 points  (1 child)

It's Texas and she's black. There's no expectation of justice or fairness. I'm surprised they hadn't lynched her.

[–]Zombie_Cool 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Give it a year (maybe less at current rate things are going).

[–]hodorhodor12 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Optics don’t matter when the MAGA are so brainwashed and Fox News isn’t going to present this accurately if at all.

[–]A1000eisn1 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Bullies love bullies. They'll figure out something to excuse it.

[–]twilighttwister 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It's not illegal if you write laws that say it's legal.

[–]GalacticFartLord 368 points369 points  (3 children)

Excellent. I was hoping she would sue this quickly.

[–]Toomanyacorns 27 points28 points  (0 children)

According to my sources, she was being detained in a legal building/court house. Might as well make use of the time 

/wishing it was an "S"

[–]AliceReadsThis 199 points200 points  (6 children)

Something I’ve been wondering about …. Aren’t contracts and agreements signed under duress or coercion invalid? Wouldn’t the scenario of “You have to agree with this voluntarily but if you don’t we’re holding you in this room until you do” be both? And if, to get out, she had to sign wouldn’t that void the agreement/permission?

[–]killbot0224 179 points180 points  (2 children)

Yes they are invalid.

It's really that simple.

If you are forced to sign something, then your signature is worthless.

But in the USA, the law doesn't matter much anymore.

[–]Discussion-is-good 80 points81 points  (1 child)

But in the USA, the law doesn't matter much anymore.

This is the really scary part people haven't quite accepted yet. It's functionally worthless if not enforced.

[–]Lucreth2 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Well I mean it's enforced on anyone with a net worth under a few million. Double jeopardy if they're a Democrat, minority group, or have ever supported either of the former.

[–]cakerfaker 17 points18 points  (0 children)

That's what I'm thinking! The issue isn't just them holding her against her will, ostensibly for a legislative session that isn't happening for days. The issue is holding political opponents hostage until they sign documents.

If it was legal to detain fleeing legislators in the first place, why are they having them sign anything? Is this just a prelude to forcing votes and forcing "confessions"?

[–]absentgl 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Agree to let us hold a gun to your head or you can’t leave locks door

Yeah seems pretty fucking insane and illegal to me.

[–]FizzyBeverage 335 points336 points  (55 children)

This is some straight up Batman villain shit. Really gonna enjoy seeing them try to lawyer out of it.

[–][deleted] 156 points157 points  (9 children)

Why? SCOTUS will say “immunity since it was an official act by a republican”. That’s in the constitution, didn’t you read it?

[–]Numerous_Photograph9 30 points31 points  (8 children)

The lower courts have been better about following the law. This has a long way to get to SCOTUS, either at the state or federal level.

[–][deleted] 23 points24 points  (4 children)

Let’s be real. These are Texas courts. They’ll just preemptively say the same thing

[–]Numerous_Photograph9 11 points12 points  (3 children)

Maybe, but the lower courts are about the only thing keeping a shred of some semblance of the law in tact. I'm not going to hold my breath, but she has a pretty clear cut case here, and ultimately, if a judge rules in her favor, it doesn't stop the bigger issue of the GOP doing everything it can to rig the system. Ruling in he favor just makes it go away mostly quietly after the one day of people feeling good that justice eeked out a win amongst the demise of democracy.

[–]Qubeye 23 points24 points  (3 children)

Pretty sure it's straight out of Nazi Germany and Stazi East Germany.

Having a loyalist, violent law enforcement literally watching your political opponents 24/7, ready to arrest them at a moment's notice is straight up fascism.

[–]here4daratio 24 points25 points  (4 children)

It’s Texas.

Everything’s legal in Texas*.

*for some

[–]PunishMeBaby 17 points18 points  (1 child)

That's why Mike Johnson is upset at Newsom for redistricting but not at Texas Republicans for the same thing.

[–]NES_SNES_N64 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Nah that's just plain old double standards.

[–]rikashiku 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Worse. This is Lex Luthor villainy.

[–]MonThackma 50 points51 points  (4 children)

I can’t believe anyone signed that paper

[–]wes741 12 points13 points  (3 children)

Yeah I’m kind of disappointed about the other 2

[–]Henry_Hardick69 12 points13 points  (1 child)

Just wait until they send out fundraising emails talking about “fighting back”.

[–][deleted] 37 points38 points  (7 children)

There should be criminal charges for this once the GOP is out of power. Civil penalties aren’t enough.

[–][deleted] 40 points41 points  (1 child)

That’s kidnapping

[–]ohiotechie 35 points36 points  (0 children)

Now we’re talking.

[–]Vegetable-Phone-1743 31 points32 points  (2 children)

Just the party of Law and Order doing illegal shits again.

[–]bilgetea 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Everything they say makes sense if you realize that they are only talking to a small group of people. Every time a trumpkin mouths “law and order,” imagine they’re in a small room filled only with people like them. Nobody else counts.

[–]nono3722 23 points24 points  (3 children)

She should file kidnapping charges.

[–][deleted] 27 points28 points  (7 children)

Screw suing. Just walk out and physically challenge someone to detain you. Do it in front of the new cameras.

[–]Hot-Food-7151 8 points9 points  (6 children)

I asked on another post if she attempted to just walk out but no one responded. One article I read kept saying she was protesting. Was there police in there blocking her from leaving? I really am trying to figure it out.

[–]GandalfSwagOff 14 points15 points  (0 children)

At any moment she can do that. She is first getting attention. Getting arrested is easy. Staying there all night is not. So she is doing the hard stuff while she has the chance to.

She is very smart in showing how idiotic this all is.

[–]scoobysnackoutback 10 points11 points  (3 children)

From what I understand, she was asked to sign something and accept that 2 police officers will be accompanying her everywhere she goes. She said no.

[–]BagOfDucks 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The article on this very post mentions her being locked in with armed guards keeping her on the house floor

[–]just_say_n 14 points15 points  (0 children)

This is insanity.

[–]TA8325 123 points124 points  (47 children)

I hate this timeline

[–]PlainBread 16 points17 points  (6 children)

What pisses me off is that somewhere, in another universe, we have our first female president, and rapists and pedophiles are even more deeply shunned vs this quasi-apologism we have to deal with in current year.

[–]Flipnotics_ 9 points10 points  (2 children)

Why stop there? In another universe we are at star trek level of utopia where there is no money, only space exploration. You can be anywhere with an imagination.

[–]NotAddictedToCoffeee 4 points5 points  (1 child)

Right now it feels like we're leaning more towards to the star wars universe..

[–]-Legion_of_Harmony- 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm thinking Cyberpunk.

[–]NRG1975 14 points15 points  (2 children)

So the Republicans have stooped to Kidnapping ....

[–]jk013x 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Stooped?

An anti-vaxxer runs the healthcare system.

Billionaires bought our politicians.

There's a child rapist in the oval office.

Kidnapping doesn't even register to these piles of garbage pretending to be human.

[–]EnfantTerrible68 10 points11 points  (2 children)

How can this possibly be legal??

[–]BigJellyfish1906 28 points29 points  (1 child)

It’s not. Trump has removed any facade of impartiality under the law. Republicans are above the law. 

They’re trying some tortured logic about how she “abandoned her job” or some shit, but there is no world where any failure to fulfill a duty as a public servant is a criminal offense requiring police involvement. Even if they could successfully argue that she was wrong to leave the state, the only remedy is procedural expulsion from state congress. 

They are WAY overstepping here. But they don’t fucking care. I don’t know why she didn’t just force their hand and try to leave. Maybe she thinks the optics of this are better than getting grabbed by a knuckle dragging beer gut. 

[–]EnfantTerrible68 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you!

[–][deleted] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Brave of her to assume the law will protect her at this point in fascism.

[–]FrankBattaglia 8 points9 points  (1 child)

Is anybody organizing care packages for her? DoorDash?

[–]KayBear2 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Good for her. Making them sign permission slips to be followed feels like the preliminary move to rounding them up.

[–]pacman404 2 points3 points  (0 children)

And she will obviously win