In ironic moment, Democrats sue over deprivations caused by their own decisions to flee
By Jonathan Turley
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Texas Insider Report) — In a demonstrably meritless lawsuit, 22 Texas House Democrats have sued some of the state’s top Republican leaders in Federal Court in Austin over the efforts to bring them home for a Special Legislative Session. After fleeing to Washington, D.C., the Democrats claim that criticism and threats made by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and others infringed on their constitutional rights to free speech and to petition the government for redress of grievances.
Despite recent calls for sanctions and disbarments for frivolous filings by Republicans (which I have expressed concerns over,) none of those experts are expressing the same view of this filing – which is shockingly short of legal merit.
Gov. Greg Abbott has called for a second specially called legislative session, and for the arrest of the fleeing Democrat members to bring them to the House Floor for a quorum. Phelan signed a civil warrant for Rep. Philip Cortez (D-San Antonio,) after he returned to the Texas. Cortez however then fled back to D.C.The lawsuit sues not only Gov. Abbott and House Speaker Dade Phelan, but also State Rep. James White.
White’s inclusion is particularly curious, since the Democrat members are declaring fealty to their free speech while at the same time trying to sue another member for presumably exercising his free speech.
The complaint by Craig Anthony Washington, a former Texas Democrat lawmaker, also does not use Phelan’s legal name (Matthew McDade Phelan,) but just “Dade Phelan.”
It also misspells Abbott’s name on page one as “Abbot.”
Strangely, the counsel on the brief is listed as “Deguren and Dickson.” But it is not clear if that is supposed to be DeGuerin and Dickson which has an office at the listed address. There is an email on the complaint reading “caw@deguerin.com.”
White’s inclusion is particularly curious, since the Democrat members are declaring fealty to their free speech while at the same time trying to sue another member for presumably exercising his free speech.
The complaint by Craig Anthony Washington, a former Texas Democrat lawmaker, also does not use Phelan’s legal name (Matthew McDade Phelan,) but just “Dade Phelan.”
It also misspells Abbott’s name on page one as “Abbot.”
Strangely, the counsel on the brief is listed as “Deguren and Dickson.” But it is not clear if that is supposed to be DeGuerin and Dickson which has an office at the listed address. There is an email on the complaint reading “caw@deguerin.com.”
The plaintiffs listed in the case are Democrat State Reps.:
- Alma Allen
- Elizabeth Campos
- Nicole Collier
- Jasmine Crockett
- Barbara Gervin-Hawkins
- Vikki Goodwin
- Gina Hinojosa
- Donna Howard
- Celia Israel
- Jarvis Johnson
- Ray Lopez
- Trey Martinez-Fischer
- Terry Meza
- Christina Morales
- Mary Ann Perez
- Ana-Maria Ramos
Ron Reynolds- Eddie Rodriguez
- Jon Rosenthal
- Shawn Thierry
- Senfronia Thompson, and
- Gene Wu
However, they would not have incurred those costs but for their own actions. Two other Democrat members have been criticized over taking a vacation to Portugal after fleeing to Washington, D.C.
Yet, the filing alleges that the Republicans are conspiring against them in plain view in response to their consensual consent:
Plaintiffs allege that in doing the acts and things complained of, the Defendants were conspirator [sic] engaged in a scheme and conspiracy designed and intended to deny and deprive them of rights guaranteed to them under the Constitution and the laws of the United States – particularly those herein above enumerated.
They ask for $5 in actual damages, and $10 in punitive damages. However, Washington is seeking his fees under the Civil Rights Attorney Fees Act.Under Rule 3.1 a “lawyer shall not bring or defend a proceeding, or assert or controvert an issue therein, unless there is a basis in law and fact for doing so that is not frivolous.”
Moreover, the defendants could seek sanctions under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11 claiming a lawsuit “for an improper purpose” of causing “unnecessary delay.” Indeed, Democrat activists in Texas have filed such complaints against Republicans on these grounds.
However, these Democrat members are asking a Federal Court to allow a lawsuit based on the use of statutorily permitted sanctions – in response to their own decisions to flee the state.
There is no legal authority that directly support such a claim.
Indeed, the short complaint reads more like a press release from the DNC – restating political claims with a caption on the top.
There is no legal authority that directly support such a claim.
Indeed, the short complaint reads more like a press release from the DNC – restating political claims with a caption on the top.Professor Jonathan Turley is a nationally recognized legal scholar who has written extensively in areas ranging from Constitutional Law, to Legal Theory, to Tort Law. He appears regularly as a legal expert on all of the major television networks, as well as in national publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, the Los Angeles Times and The Wall Street Journal.
