Police sent to arrest absent Texas lawmakers

AUSTIN, Texas -- State troopers and the elite Texas Rangers were ordered to track down and bring in 59 Democratic lawmakers who brought the Texas House to a standstill Monday by going into hiding.

The quorum-busting boycott capped months of tension between Democrats and the newly-in-control Republicans, and occurred as the chamber was scheduled to debate a congressional redistricting plan opposed by Democrats.

The parties also have clashed over a bill to limit lawsuits and a GOP budget that would avoid new taxes but make deep spending cuts.

GOP House Speaker Tom Craddick locked down the House chamber so lawmakers who did show up Monday morning could not leave. After a roll call, he ordered the missing lawmakers arrested and brought back to the chamber.

"It is a disgrace to run and hide," Craddick said.

'The mood is good'

After hours of uncertainty about the Democrats' whereabouts or how long they would be gone, a lawmaker said they were in Ardmore, Okla. The rebel Democrats were planning a news conference today in Oklahoma.

"The mood is good ... to even attempt something that expresses your conviction of this magnitude requires you to be very committed and have a lot of trust for each other," one missing Democrat told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.

The Texas House cannot convene without at least 100 of the 150 members present. Of the 62 Democrats, 59 were absent as the day's session began. A fourth Democrat showed up in the late afternoon.

As the hours passed, the House doorkeeper kept watch over the chamber's front door. Inside, lawmakers with nothing to do lobbed toy balls, whistled the "Star Spangled Banner" and dined on white-linen covered tables.

Most of the missing lawmakers said they planned to leave the state to avoid arrest, and late Monday the Texas Department of Public Safety asked the public for help in finding the lawmakers.

In New Mexico, Attorney General Patricia Madrid said her state has no authority to arrest lawmakers who show up there.

"Nevertheless, I have put out an all-points bulletin for law enforcement to be on the lookout for politicians in favor of health care for the needy and against tax cuts for the wealthy," said Madrid, a Democrat.

The rebellion took shape over the weekend, with the Democrats breaking up into small groups and only their team leaders knowing the details of their travels. They were told to pack enough clothes and necessities to last four days.

Fifty-three Democrats had sent the House leadership letters saying they would be absent.

Republicans gained control of the Texas House in November for the first time since Reconstruction. The House Democrats said they were taking a stand for fair treatment of the minority party.

"We refuse to participate in an inherently unfair process that slams the door of opportunity in the face of Texas voters," they said in a statement read by state Sen. Rodney Ellis.

In 2001, Republicans in the Oregon House sent process servers to find Democrats who boycotted the Legislature over a GOP redistricting plan.

The Texas walkout came 24 years to the month after a dozen state senators defied then-Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby by refusing to show up at the Capitol for nearly five days. Most of the "Killer Bees," as the 12 became known, hid out in an Austin apartment while troopers, Rangers and legislative sergeants-at-arms unsuccessfully combed the state for them.

Craddick dubbed Monday's rebels "the Chicken Ds."

If the Democrats stay away through Thursday -- the deadline for preliminary passage of House bills -- they could derail major pending bills considered priorities by Republicans.

As the daylight diminished, Republican Gov. Rick Perry made an appearance in the chamber, where he posed for pictures with Republicans and again denounced Democrats who fled.

"If 53 people can decide to leave on any given issue, we might as well shut this building down and let it become a museum because the work of the people is through," Perry said.

Three weeks are left in the legislative session. Craddick said Perry assured him he would call a special session if necessary after the regular session ends June 2.

"These legislators have been elected and paid to come to work by hardworking Texans," the governor said in a statement. "They are asked to work for 140 days every two years -- not to hide out because they don't like the way the debate is going."

However, Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, sounded a conciliatory note: "It's not going to cause a total meltdown of the Democratic process. ... This is kind of a little temper tantrum. That's allowed in democracy."