ICYMI: TX State Legislators Demand Abbott Stop Withholding Emergency Funding from Texas Flood Victims

Rep. González: “Abbott has abandoned the flood victims when they really need them most. He has put politics above allocating the necessary funds.”

Sen. Cook: “I've been very disappointed to show up to this special session where our leadership, our Republican colleagues, have very clearly prioritized the wishes of D.C. elites and party bosses over the people of Texas.”

Rep. Walle: “A lot of our folks are hurting, particularly in the Hill Country. That should have been the focus of our special session. Instead, we’re having to deal with other political matters that serve no purpose other than a power grab.”

Yesterday, Sabotaging Our Safety (SOS), a new accountability organization holding Trump and his state allies to account for dismantling America’s emergency response infrastructure, held a press call with Texas State Senator Molly Cook and Texas State Representatives Mary González and Armando Walle, two of the more than 50 who broke quorum and left the state to block Trump’s redistricting scheme. Speakers exposed how Governor Greg Abbott is cynically exploiting Texas flood survivors to jam through his political redistricting agenda—while refusing to release emergency funding he has the authority to deploy immediately without any special session.

Speakers highlighted how Abbott has the executive authority right now to release surplus state funding for emergency infrastructure that could save lives, but instead is using flood survivors as political cover to gerrymander Texas and give Republicans five additional House seats.

“We know that the governor is currently sitting on money and expansive emergency powers that he has deployed liberally at the border throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and has chosen not to take any action despite the recent tragedy in Hill Country,” said Texas State Senator Molly Cook. “We know who is to blame if flood money does not make it into the pockets of people who need it most. We know who is to blame if we come out of the next regular session with no actual plan for statewide disaster preparedness and resilience, and we know exactly who is sitting on money and power that can change and save lives right now, and it is the governor and Republican legislators.”

“Abbott previously reallocated $250 million for Trump’s border wall using disaster declarations. It’s a clear example of how he can move money where he wants to right now. At this moment in time, the governor is blocking available state aid while demanding for this special session to happen, choosing political theater over Texans lives,” said Texas State Representative Mary González. “What’s really hard for me is that, as Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee, we have already allocated funds, both in the supplemental and in this upcoming biennial budget of millions of dollars that sit unused while the flood survivors are still trying to navigate the aftermath of the floods.”

“I’m a member of the Legislative Budget Board. We’ve moved probably $250 million for Trump’s border wall. Texas law specifically gives the governor the authority to use all available resources of the state government during disasters. He can act today,” said Texas State Representative Armando Walle. “A lot of our folks are hurting, particularly in the Hill Country. It’s just mind boggling that we don’t focus on that part of it. That should have been the focus of our special session. Instead, we’re having to deal with other political matters that serve no purpose other than a power grab.”

Take a look at some of the coverage below:

On the Airwaves:

On ABC 7 El Paso: “Representative Mary González of El Paso joined other lawmakers in a meeting. She says flood relief efforts are not getting the attention they need because of this redistricting bill and also criticized Abbott for his actions on the FEMA Review Council and in reallocating state money toward the border wall. ‘What breaks my heart in this moment in time is there is immediate relief for the people in Kerrville or in the surrounding area. Abbott has abandoned the flood victims when they really need them most. He has put politics above allocating the necessary funds and specifically for the special session which is completely unnecessary.’”

On CBS Austin: “‘Over 100 people died and homes are still destroyed.’ Texas State Representative Mary González is one of the more than 50 democrats who broke quorum this week. At a press conference today, with the nonprofit organization Sabotaging Our Safety, she says she didn't abandon Texas. ‘The governor is blocking available state aid while demanding for the special session that happened.’ [...] Representative González was joined by her democratic colleague State Senator Molly Cook who says it's the governor who’s entirely to blame: ‘Our Republican colleagues have very, very clearly prioritized the wishes of DC elites and party bosses over the people of Texas.’”

In Print:

CBS AUSTIN: Partisan divide stalls Texas flood relief as governor, Democrats trade blame

“Texas State Representative Mary González is one of the more than 50 Democrats who broke quorum this week. At a press conference Thursday with the nonprofit organization 'Sabotaging Our Safety,' she says she didn't abandon Texas.

“‘Over 100 people died, homes are still destroyed,’ González said. ‘Right now, in this moment in time, the governor is blocking available state aid while demanding this special session to happen.’

“Representative González was joined by her Democratic colleague, State Senator Molly Cook, who says it's the governor who is entirely to blame.

“‘I’ve been very disappointed to show up to this Special where our leadership, our Republican colleagues, have very clearly prioritized the wishes of D.C. elites and party bosses over the people of Texas,’ Cook said.”

THE HILL: Texas Democrat decries rhetoric over quorum break: ‘Words have consequences’

“One of the Texas Democrats who fled her state over a GOP plan to draw new state House district lines said rhetoric from the right is putting a “dangerous target” on state lawmakers’ backs.

“‘I’m terrified at the rhetoric coming from both my colleagues, the governor, the attorney general and the president. It’s putting a dangerous target on our backs,’ Democratic state Rep. Mary González said on a call with reporters.

“González made her comments on a call with other Texas Democrats who blasted Republicans for focusing on redistricting instead of aid after devastating floods hit Texas last month, hitting back at GOP arguments that Democrats’ quorum break is stalling aid progress.

“‘We have spent an astronomical amount of time on racial illegal gerrymandering and redistricting that absolutely is going to allow politicians to pick their people instead of the other way around,’ Democratic state Sen. Molly Cook said.”

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