Well, she starts now.

Good morning. Saturday, August the 9th, the Texas State Legislature remains at a standstill.

Republican officials there are upping their threats against the Democratic lawmakers who refused to return to the state in their attempt to preserve

democracy. The Texas legislature was unable to establish a quorum at all this week because

more than 50 Democratic lawmakers are continuing to refuse to attend the special session.

The Democrats are trying to thwart Donald Trump's plan to blatantly rigged Texas's congressional map, which

would give Republicans an advantage in keeping control of the House of Representatives in D.C.

ahead of the 2026 midterm election.

And that brazen GOP plan just keeps getting more and more audacious.

Republican officials in Texas are using increasingly aggressive tactics

to pressure the Democratic quorum breakers to come back to the state capital. Texas Attorney

General Ken Paxton just filed a new lawsuit on Friday asking the state Supreme Court to expel

13 of those Democratic state representatives from the House, accusing them of effectively

vacating their offices. Paxson also filed a second lawsuit against former Congressman Beto O'Rourke

and his political organization called Powered by People, alleging that the group is engaging

in unlawful fundraising activity. The Texas Tribune reported this week that

powered by the people has been helping the exiled Texas Democrats cover the costs of their

out-of-state travel and lodging, as well as the potential fines they might rack up as

results of their absence from the special legislative session. A district court judge granted Paxton's request

for a temporary restraining order last night, meaning powered by people is barred for now from funding

the lawmakers who've left the state. But O'Rourke, who's been a fierce vocal advocate of his Democratic

colleagues, is going on the offensive. He filed his own lawsuit

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