Texas Republicans Clash Over Lawsuit Removing Democrats From Office

Texas Republicans are embroiled in a legal battle over how to remove Democrats who fled the state to block voting on a GOP congressional map, with Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton publicly disputing the authority to declare seats vacant. Abbott filed an emergency petition targeting Rep. Gene Wu, accusing him of abandoning his office by leaving Texas, while Wu insists he is fulfilling his duty by opposing what he calls a racist gerrymandered map. In Georgia, a judge reprimanded Democrats for attempting to veto Republican-nominated members of the Fulton County Board of Elections, ruling that the law mandates the appointment of qualified nominees regardless of political preferences. Meanwhile, a federal judge criticized Republican-led states for coordinated efforts to introduce Christian religious displays in public schools, blocking Arkansas's law requiring Ten Commandments displays and noting similar laws are being challenged in several other states. Texas Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett sharply criticized President Donald Trump as a "piece of s---" during a progressive rally, condemning GOP complicity in enabling his actions and calling for ethics reforms for the Supreme Court, which she said lacks ethical guardrails unlike lower courts. Crockett has been a vocal Trump critic, highlighting concerns about his impact on democracy and government accountability.