Even louder screaming from the gallery as the clock strikes midnight. #SB5 #txlege
— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) June 26, 2013
Over 150k watching #txlege #sb5 @WendyDavisTexas on @YouTube. Awesome to hear audience filibustering with applause: https://t.co/OGA7zKaR4C
— KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) June 26, 2013
No, not “awesome” and not just polite “applause.” More like screams, shouts, stomping, and tantrums. As the Texas Democrats’ stalling tactics ran dry and the clock neared midnight, protesters and sit-in participants in the Lone Star State’s capitol building turned up the mob noise. Supporters of pro-abortion legislator Wendy Davis’s filibuster of S.B. 5 — which would restrict most abortions past 20 weeks in a bid to stop the next butchering Kermit Gosnell — issued explicit calls for undemocratic disruption of civil order.
Here’s what one Texas Teamster advocated:
They are voting right now! Only way to stop it is total chaos. Gotta rush the floor.
— Eric Heggie (@ericheggie) June 26, 2013
Shoulda rushed the floor. Only way to have stopped it.
— Eric Heggie (@ericheggie) June 26, 2013
Planned Parenthood’s Cecile Richards egged them on, too:
#TXlege gallery: Make some noise — louder! #SB5 #StandWithWendy
— Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) June 26, 2013
Video:
more Video from @KD5MDK : #txlege not getting order #standwithwendy #sb5 http://t.co/qQUhLq2Tga
— Marna Nightingale (@MarnaNightingal) June 26, 2013
Others echoed the “rush the floor” sentiment:
Rush the floor. The SEC only fines you if you do it twice in 5 years. #GigEm #txlege #standwithwendy
— DK (@DKinAU) June 26, 2013
#txlege #sb5 #Standwithwendy RT @ericheggie: They can do a vote with ppl yelling. Rush the floor and do a sit in. Will screw this all up.
— caitlin (@cameracait) June 26, 2013
Prediction: The crowd is about to take over this process and the volume is about to be cut off the floor feed. #txlege
— TDCAA (@TDCAA) June 26, 2013
https://twitter.com/amatae2002/status/349752825485594624
I just cant remember the last time the winning side attempted to take over the chamber by screaming #SB5 #txlege #prolife
— Reaganomics (@Reaganomics3) June 26, 2013
Absurd disrespect for democracy. People are acting like animals. Awful. #txlege
— Tyler Norris (@TXTylerNorris) June 26, 2013
@TXTylerNorris Of course. They think if they yell loudly enough, they'll get their way. @MelissaTweets
— Taxpayer1234 (@Taxpayers1234) June 26, 2013
@sunnyright Only thing missing is their self righteous demands that Republicans be more civil.
— RoryMiller (@RorySMiller) June 26, 2013
Have seen nothing like this in #txlege in 22 years. Not even close. Waiting for someone to yell "Attica."
— Evan Smith (@evanasmith) June 26, 2013
The pro-abortion crowd turned The Texas Senate chamber "Occupy Wall Street"
— Bill Zedler (@Bill_Zedler) June 26, 2013
In the aftermath of the screamfest, confusion ensued. Reporters and legislators could not agree whether the final vote took place before midnight or whether adjournment (sine die) had occurred.
Whitmire: The Senate may still be in session. There's been no motion to adjourn sine die. This whole thing is crazy. #txlege
— ChronicleMike (@ChronicleMike) June 26, 2013
SB 5 finally passes 19-12!! Right on time. What a crazy way to end the special session!
— Matt Krause (@RepMattKrause) June 26, 2013
Sorry about that last post – a bit premature. No one seems to know what was or wasn't passed in final minutes. Waiting on final word.
— Matt Krause (@RepMattKrause) June 26, 2013
That last tweet a bit premature. No one seems to know for sure. Sorry. will update ASAP. RT @Joe_LaRue: @MelissaTweets @DLoesch @chiproytx
— Matt Krause (@RepMattKrause) June 26, 2013
#SB5 passed before midnight but we were prevented from passing impt transportation funds and new justice bill. Democrats should be ashamed.
— Bob Deuell (@bobdeuell) June 26, 2013
There's still no consensus in the reporting on what happened. #txlege
— McLizbuddie (@lizbuddie) June 26, 2013
Whitmire: The vote did not start until 12:02, after midnight. It's in the journal. Vote on SB5 doesn't count. #txlege
— ChronicleMike (@ChronicleMike) June 26, 2013
Patrick: There was a vote on SB5. The bill passed. #txlege
— ChronicleMike (@ChronicleMike) June 26, 2013
Gallery cleared by troopers. Senate plans to reconvene in a while. West plans to question validity of SB5. Senate has not adjourned. #txlege
— ChronicleMike (@ChronicleMike) June 26, 2013
You'd Think. RT@finchfrii: It was on video. Shouldn't instant replay clear this up? #txlege #sb5
— Rashona (@Rashona) June 26, 2013
https://twitter.com/MatthewKeysLive/status/349771219496755200
Looks like the time stamp on #SB5 was adjusted. Probably because of the screaming. That's just going to make the proaborts even more bonkers
— John Lewandowski (@lewandowskijohn) June 26, 2013
Apparently Texas Republicans can't tell time. If you're going to pass a bill, do it within the rules #SB4 #txlege
— Nathan Inks (@ndinks) June 26, 2013
It'll be interesting to see what the courts do, as usually they leave parliamentary issues up to the legislature #SB5 #txlege
— Nathan Inks (@ndinks) June 26, 2013
To quote the hit Robin Thicke song, there were plenty of Blurred Lines:
https://twitter.com/mrglenn/status/349757443124887552
You can say that again:
Mob rule is not democracy. Just sayin'.
— Melissa Clouthier (@MelissaTweets) June 26, 2013
Parliamentary procedure exists for a reason… shouting in the gallery of the Senate chambers is not the way to express opposition to #sb5
— Nathan Inks (@ndinks) June 26, 2013
Punches are flying now:
Protestors arguing with troopers in gallery. One person arrested after trooper was punched, say Senate staff. #txlege
— ChronicleMike (@ChronicleMike) June 26, 2013
Arrests:
Protestors still jeering in the Senate gallery. Dozens of troopers moving in to disperse crowd, lining the gallery. First arrests. #txlege
— ChronicleMike (@ChronicleMike) June 26, 2013
The Democrats give thanks:
Democratic Senators addressing crowd with thanks and promises of an answer in 2014. #txlege #standwithwendy pic.twitter.com/HNsmoLy77L
— Joe Deshotel (@joethepleb) June 26, 2013
As the dust settles in the wee hours of the morning, a picture’s worth a thousand words. Let this voice rise above all the anti-S.B 5 screamers:
https://twitter.com/oicStars/status/349755203576266752
Indeed:
https://twitter.com/AndrewCQuinn/status/349761373774942210
Final verdict on whether the vote took place in time:
Dewhurst : Regrettably, the time for session expired before SB5 was passed. Cannot be signed and sent to Perry after deadline. #txlege
— ChronicleMike (@ChronicleMike) June 26, 2013
Dewhurst blames "unruly mob" that used Occupy Wall Street tactics to disrupt Senate vote to protect unborn babies. Furious about it. #txlege
— ChronicleMike (@ChronicleMike) June 26, 2013
Dewhurst tells senators as they leave: See you soon. Hints that Gov. Perry will call Lege back in session to pass bills that died. #txlege
— ChronicleMike (@ChronicleMike) June 26, 2013
Dewhurst: SB5 passed 19-10. With all the rukus and noise he couldn't hear to finish the session with signing of bill for Perry. #txlege
— ChronicleMike (@ChronicleMike) June 26, 2013
Senate left without adjourning sine die, for first time in memory. Theory: no legal way to vote after midnight, even for that. #txlege
— ChronicleMike (@ChronicleMike) June 26, 2013
Supporters of SB5 vowing another try to pass it in the next special session. #txlege
— ChronicleMike (@ChronicleMike) June 26, 2013
Twitchy will continue to monitor and update as news develops.
