Former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker told Newsmax on Monday that Texas lawmakers may have a unique legal path, unlike the one available during his state's 2011 walkout, to remove Democrats who fled the state to prevent voting on new congressional maps.
Walker discussed the legislative standoff in Texas during an appearance on "The Record With Greta Van Susteren." Walker, now president of Young America's Foundation, recounted similarities to Wisconsin's legislative walkout of 14 years ago, highlighting differences that could let Texas take more aggressive measures.
Texas Democratic lawmakers recently fled to Chicago to block quorum requirements for a vote on redrawing congressional district maps. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered their arrest upon returning to the state, saying Democrats "abandoned their duty" and are "holding hostage critical legislation."
Walker recalled the similar Wisconsin event, saying, "The irony is they actually went to Illinois," noting Democrats similarly fled to stall votes on labor reforms.
"The number one job for any lawmaker is to vote," Walker emphasized, expressing confidence that Texas Republicans, like those in Wisconsin, would eventually prevail.
In Wisconsin, Democrats relied on a quorum rule regarding appropriations to temporarily halt votes. Republicans ultimately bypassed this hurdle by removing the appropriations from the contested bill, letting it pass after nearly a month of protests.
Walker indicated that Texas Republicans might use public pressure and potential arrest warrants to compel Democrats to return to the state. He clarified that arrest warrants would not lead to imprisonment, but would simply mandate lawmakers return to perform their elected duties.
"You're going and having essentially the state patrol or public safety find these lawmakers and bring them back," he explained.
Importantly, Walker noted that Texas may have an additional legal recourse not available to Wisconsin during its standoff.
"There's an argument to be made that they would be in violation of their position and could be removed from office," he said. Walker acknowledged this as "a really dramatic stroke," emphasizing it remains secondary to building public pressure for legislators to fulfill their responsibilities.
Walker anticipated Democrats might remain absent for months, encouraged by media attention and financial support from Democratic donors, including Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. Reflecting on conversations with Wisconsin Democrats years later, he speculated they might have stayed away until elections if legislative maneuvers hadn’t circumvented their absence.
Ultimately, Walker advised Abbott to maintain a clear focus on lawmakers' responsibilities and leverage public sentiment. He suggested Texans would increasingly demand legislators return to address critical state business.
"This is not about punishing them," Walker stressed, "This is literally about compelling them to do the job they were elected to do."
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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