SPITEFUL STANCE: Texas Democrat stuck in House chamber after refusing GOP mandate for police escort

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FROM WASHINGTON EXAMINER: A Texas House Democrat will remain in the chamber building until the legislative body reconvenes on Wednesday after she refused to sign off on a mandatory escort by law enforcement.

Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, a Republican, has required that Democrats who broke quorum earlier this month be escorted by state troopers to leave the House chamber. Democratic state Rep. Nicole Collier has refused the plan, saying she does not agree to the monitoring of state legislators.

Texas House Democrats returned to the state Monday after leaving two weeks ago to deny their Republican counterparts a quorum to vote on a new congressional map that would favor the Republican Party. Burrows said the police monitor would “ensure your return Wednesday at 10 a.m.”

The majority of the Texas House Democrats complied with the law enforcement escort on Monday. They showed reporters their “permission slips,” which they received to leave the Texas House floor.

“I refuse to sign away my dignity as a duly elected representative just so Republicans can control my movements and monitor me with police escorts,” Collier said in a statement to media outlets.

“My community is majority-minority, and they expect me to stand up for their representation. When I press that button to vote, I know these maps will harm my constituents — I won’t just go along quietly with their intimidation or their discrimination,” Collier added.

In an Instagram post, she crowed about how much support she was getting, saying demonstrators were exercising their right to oppose their “oppressors.” Two other House Democrats took her camera out to show the small group of protesters supporting Collier.

READ MORE AT WASHINGTON EXAMINER

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