In a fiery escalation of the Capitol standoff, the Texas House has voted to cut off direct deposit for Democrat lawmakers who fled the state to block a voting bill. No return to Texas? No paycheck — period.
And that’s just the beginning. Each absentee lawmaker is now racking up a $500 daily fine for every day they refuse to show up, with penalties snowballing into staggering sums. Tensions in Austin are hitting a boiling point.
This move follows weeks of political gridlock after Democrats broke quorum, halting legislation in its tracks. State leaders say they’ve had enough — and are aiming straight for the lawmakers’ wallets.
The nation is split: backers insist the lawmakers abandoned their duty and must face the fallout, while critics decry the move as raw political revenge.
One thing’s certain — the longer they hide out, the heftier the bill waiting for them at home.