'My first meal as a fugitive': Runaway Texas Democrat is ridiculed for sharing a photo of his Caesar salad and trying to mock law enforcement after Republicans voted to arrest fleers when they return
A Texas Democratic state representative was mocked for posting an image of a caesar salad on Tuesday after fleeing his home state to Washington D.C. to block Republicans from passing voting rights bills.
'My fist (sic) meal as a fugitive. Delicious,' Gene Wu tweeted alongside a photo of his food and a Coke Zero.
He also tweeted: 'If there are any House Sargent at Arms looking for me... I'm definitely in the Texas Capitol building, somewhere.
'Keep looking. Don't stop,' Wu continued.
Shortly after, he followed up with another tweet saying: 'Getting warmer…'
Wu and a group of around 60 Democratic lawmakers from the Lone Star State fled to the nation's capital on Monday evening in order to break a quorum and block the Texas State House from passing Republicans' voting rights legislation.
In response, the remaining members of the Texas House of Representative – mostly Republicans – voted 76-4 to arrest the runaway Democrats.
'Members, a sergeant-at-arms and any officer appointed by him are directed to send for all absentees whose attendance is not excused for the purpose of securing and maintaining their attendance under warrant of arrest if necessary,' Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan announced from the State House floor on Tuesday.
He also posted an image of a caesar salad saying 'first meal as a fugitive'
One Democrat, Gene Wu, taunted the Texas State House Sergeant at Arms after the legislature voted to have the official arrest the lawmakers who fled
Texas House rules allow the sergeant-at-arms to arrest members who are not present at the Capitol for a vote – and the show of disapproval Tuesday could result in the lawmakers' arrest when they land back in the Lone Star State.
The Tuesday vote, however, doesn't hold much weight as long as the Democrats remain in Washington since by crossing state lines they have escaped jurisdiction of Texas law enforcement.
Wu earned some backlash on Twitter when he posted his taunts and put up an image of a caesar salad in a styrofoam take-out container and a can of Coke Zero.
Twitter users were quick to mock Wu, with one comparing it to the meals handed out at Fyre Festival
Others called his post cringeworthy and pointed out the he wrote 'fist' instead of first
One user labeled him – and the other lawmakers documenting the saga on social media – as a 'narcissist'.
Retired Republican Senator Orrin Hatch mocked Wu in posting an image of himself taking a chicken wing from a buffet where he trolled the Texas' lawmaker by copying the exact vernacular from the tweet: 'My fist meal as a fugitive. Delicious'
He even spelled 'first' wrong, like Wu did when he wrote 'fist' instead.
The few dozen state lawmakers maintain that they aren't afraid of Governor Greg Abbott's threats to arrest them for fleeing the state to break a quorum and avoid voting on Republicans ' election legislation.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Philadelphia on Tuesday that Vice President Kamala Harris will meet with the group of lawmakers sometime this week.
It is not immediately clear if President Joe Biden plans to meet with them, but Jean-Pierre said when asked if he supports their decision: 'He applauds their courage.'
The Texas State House adjourned on Tuesday morning. The remaining lawmakers – mostly Republican – voted 76-4 to arrest Democrat members who broke the quorum by fleeing to Washington D.C.
During a press conference in front of the Capitol on Tuesday morning, the large group broke out into song with a Civil Rights-era gospel, and getting the words wrong in claiming 'we will overcome' after arriving in D.C. on a pair of jets that cost them $100,000 to charter.
'I'm not worried about the threat of being arrested,' Texas State Representative Jasmine Crockett told CNN the morning after arriving in D.C.
'I don't worry probably because I know the law,' she continued. 'I've not committed a crime, so I can't get arrested.'
Trey Martinez Fischer, a fellow Democratic member of the Texas State House, said Tuesday that the group of around 60 lawmakers plan to wait out the full 30-day legislative session in Washington D.C.
'This is the risk that we take to stand up for democracy,' Martinez Fisher told CNN when asked about the potential of Abbott sending law enforcement after them.
The group is staying at the Washington Plaza Hotel in Northwest D.C., where rooms start at $199 per night. The hotel features a luxury outdoor pool and lounge surrounded by privacy greenery and trees.
The lawmakers left their hotel on Tuesday morning in buses headed for the Capitol, where they held a quick press conference outside the building.
Martinez Fischer said they are working on setting up meetings on Capitol Hill after fleeing Texas on Monday and breaking quorum in order to block Republican-proposed voting rights laws from passing. He said nothing is set in stone yet.
A quorum is the minimum number of members needed to conduct legislative proceedings and assure they are valid. In the case of Texas, two-thirds of its House members are needed to reach a quorum, which is 100 people.
The large group of Texas Democratic lawmakers who fled their state on Monday to avoid voting on Republicans' election legislation held a press conference outside the Capitol on Tuesday morning. The lawmakers broke out in gospel song 'We Shall Overcome'
Texas Democrats exit the $200-a-night Washington Plaza hotel on Tuesday morning to board coach buses en route to the Capitol
The Washington Plaza is located in Northwest Washington, D.C. The cost of rooms on Tuesday night starts at $199
Texas state Rep. Jasmine Crockett (left) said Tuesday she is not afraid of Governor Abbott's threat to arrest them and colleague Trey Martinez Fischer (right) said 'this is the risk that we take to stand up for democracy' when asked if they are willing to stay in D.C. for the full 30-day legislative session and risk arrest
The Texas House of Representatives is controlled by Republicans with a 83-67 majority. By 58 of the 67 Democrats fleeing the state, only a maximum of 92 can be present, meaning the minority was able to 'break the quorum.'
Those remaining in the Texas State House, a vast majority Republicans, brought up consideration Tuesday on arresting their colleagues after two private jets – chartered by the state Democrats at a total cost of $100,000 – touched down in Washington D.C. from Austin on Monday carrying 58 lawmakers from Texas.
Meanwhile, Texas state senators are expected to move on with voting on the proposed election legislation on Tuesday.
Senator John Cornyn, who represents Texas, spoke on the floor of the upper chamber on Tuesday where he excoriated the Democrtic state lawmakers for their hypocrisy in not wearing masks on the coach buses or airplanes.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines still require that vaccinated and unvaccinated Americans wear masks in all public transportation modes including buses, trains and planes.
'They got on two charter jets maskless – with at least one case of lite beer – and hopped on the kets to come to Washington D.C.,' Cornyn said as he pulled out a poster board with a picture of one of the coach buses with a large yellow circle around a case of Miller Lite beer with an arrow further emphasizing it.
To permanently block the two voting bills, the Texas House Democrats would have to stay away through the end of the special legislative session, which can last as many as 30 days.
The session ends on August 7, meaning there are 26 days left.
Abbott, however, can call special session after special session until a quorum is reached. He signaled that he intends to do so.
Texas Senator John Cornyn brought a poster board to the floor of the U.S. Senate on Tuesday as he excoriated Democrats for going on their coach buses and private jets 'maskless' despite CDC guidelines still requiring the face coverings, regardless of vaccination status, on all public transportation. He also pointed out that they brought Miller Lite on the trip
During the press conference outside the Capitol Tuesday morning the lawmakers said they are just 'buying time' with their stunt.
At one point, the group began belting out 'We Shall Overcome', a gospel song that became a protest anthem of the American civil rights movement. They got the lyrics wrong, however, and sang 'we will overcome' instead of 'shall.'
'Quit criminalizing elections,' Martinez Fisher demanded in his New Day interview the morning after arriving on a private jet in D.C. He claimed one of the main points Democrats are fighting in the GOP voting bill in Texas is allowing poll watchers because it's 'voter intimidation.'
'You'll be gone for a month, it sounds like,' CNN morning host Brianna Keilar said.
Martinez Fisher replied: 'If that's what it takes.'
The Texas lawmaker assured that the trip to the nation's capital was completely privately funded and did not rely on taxpayer dollars. Some also flew on commercial flights – like Crockett, who said she flew Southwest to get from Texas to Washington.
The Washington Plaza Hotel, where the lawmakers are staying, includes an outdoor pool surrounded by trees for privacy
He posted a video of himself from the tarmac on Monday asking for donations to his campaign to help fund the trip – including travel and accommodation costs.
'We're going to break quorum. I can't do this alone, I need your help. I don't know how long I'm going to be gone,' he said in a self-style video before asking for donations to his campaign.
The state lawmaker told CNN that the hotel costs Tuesday night will be paid for directly out of his campaign account.
Members of the Texas House of Representatives make only $7,500 per year.
Martinez Fischer insisted that chartering a private plane instead of flying commercially was necessary because 'everybody wants to see' us, so we 'need to fly privately.'
Dan Crenshaw, who represents Texas' 2nd congressional district in the U.S. House, called the group 'pathetic' and 'delinquent children' on Monday evening.
'Hard to imagine a more delusional group of people - thinking that lying about these bills, hopping on a chartered flight, sipping beer, and skipping work is 'sacrifice,' he tweeted.
The Republican congressman added: 'You guys are pathetic. Totally pathetic.'
'These delinquents are doing this to kill a bill that does things like make voting hours across counties the same,' he followed up in another tweet. 'There isn't a single thing in these bills that is 'voter suppression.' This a (sic) giant charade. Texans should be furious, and vote all of these children out of office.'
Abbott said on Monday night the state Democrats will be arrested upon their return to Texas.
No comments: