Constitutional Disabling on Covid Grounds
Could Be Abbott Option for SB 7 Vengeance
Capitol Inside
June 3, 2021
Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar could be dragged into the center of an ugly fight if Governor Greg Abbott tried to use the emergency powers that he's wielded during the COVID-19 pandemic in an attempt at retaliation against Texas House Democrats for killing the Republican election bill last weekend.
The Republican governor sent conflicting messages in the same tweet this week - vowing to veto the Texas Legislature's entire budget as payback for Democrats who chose to "abandon their responsibilities" with a walkout that they staged before a final vote on Senate Bill 7. But the punishment would be equal for Democrats and Republicans alike if Abbott wipes out Article 10 in the new state budget for the next two years.
Some GOP lawmakers are speculationg now on the possibility of a more selective approach by Abbott in his dishing of retribution to House Democrats for having the audacity to use a parliamentary maneuver that's perfectly legitimate to derail legislation that they've portrayed as a blatant voter suppression plan.
But Abbott apparently would have to suspend the Texas Constitution to make such a payback move possible in light of the fact that it says that legislators shall by paid their annual current salaries of $7,200 or $600 a month plus per diem expenses when they're in session. That means that Abbott would have to limit his wrath to staffers for legislators for both parties if he wasn't bluffing with the tough talk on his visions for vengeance.
Republicans in the House believe that the governor's team has entertained the notion of invoking his authority under the state's coronavirus disaster declaration that's been in effect for more than a year. Such a move would unprecedented and challenged at the courthouse immediately. How Abbott would tie covid to SB 7 remains to be seen.
Based on hypothetical rumblings around the statehouse today, Abbott could conceivably disable the constitution in a move that he followed up with an executive order instructing the comptroller to withhold pay for targeted Democratic representatives and their staffs as well.
Abbott has appeared undaunted by the fact that Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dade Phelan have verbally vindicated the Democrats in the House as far as devious behavior is concerned - saying that they were simply using a weapon that's available in the rules to fight the voting measure. |
