FOX4 KDFW by Lori Brown and Blake Hanson 7/15/2021
Donations are pouring in for the Democrats who are in D.C. to evade arrest that would force a vote in Texas on proposed new voting laws.
The standoff hit day four on Thursday, with Democrats vowing not to leave until the special session Gov. Greg Abbott called to pass a controversial GOP voting bill and other red meat items for Republicans expires.
Beto O'Rourke's PAC has raised more than $500,000 for the travel, hotel and food expenses being racked up by more than 51 democrats who left the state in order to prevent a quorum in the house.
In addition to private planes, the Democrats are staying at a four-star D.C. hotel.
The identities of large donors to the PAC as well as the House Democratic caucus will eventually have to be disclosed, but not for months to come.
"There are some ethical concerns if unidentified donors are supporting the living expenses for an extended stay out of the state. That does raise issues about how Democratic lawmakers may be beholden to those donors," said SMU political science professor Matthew Wilson.
Wilson believes a bigger issue from a political perspective may be whether Democrats accept their $221 a day pay for a special session where they are not present.
More:
https://www.fox4news.com/news/donations-pour-in-for-texas-democrats-breaking-quorum-to-kill-gop-voting-bills
