Abbott / Paxton - Bleating Sheep With Empty Threats

Texas Gov. Abbott has called a special session of the Texas Legislature. The main purpose of the session is to redraw House district lines to give Republicans an additional five districts in the state (at the request of Donald Trump - who is afraid Republicans will lose the U.S. House in next year's election).

Texas Democratic State House members don't have enough votes to stop the GOP's racist gerrymandering, so they have left the state to deny a quorum. Nothing can be passed without a quorum (100 members) present in the House.

Gov. Abbott has threatened to arrest, fine, and even take the seats away from those Democratic members, quoting a non-binding opinion issued by Texas AG Ken Paxton.

Matt Angle, at the Lone Star Project, had the following to say about the actions of Abbott and Paxton: 

The sound coming from Greg  Abbott and Ken Paxton is the bleating of sheep. And their intended audience isn’t even the frontline Democrats who are courageously defending Texas. Abbott and Paxton are performing for Donald Trump.
 
Abbott and Paxton reacted to the strength of Texas State House Democrats by teaming up and doubling down on their own surrender to Trump. They engaged in petty name calling and then incorrectly cited an AG opinion to justify empty threats to vacate Democratic member’s seats in the Legislature.
 
Here are the facts around Abbott and Paxton’s threats to declare Democratic seats vacant.
 
First, an AG opinion does not have the force of law. Paxton’s claims have all the credibility of his marriage vows.
 
Second, the case cited in the AG opinion requires showing a failure to perform a duty of office and a purposeful decision to relinquish office. Breaking quorum is a legislative option contained within the Texas Constitution. It is an explicit part of a legislator performing his or her duty. All of the strong Texas Democrats now acting to halt action on the racist Trump map are purposefully fulfilling their duties and responsibilities as a Texas legislator.
 
The cowardice and dereliction of duty comes from Greg Abbott, Ken Paxton, and every one of the weak-kneed legislators who have surrendered their responsibility to defend Texas. They have collapsed in shameful submission to a corrupt President. They’ve picked Trump over Texas, which may not require relinquishing their office, but it is certainly a firing offense.