Escalating fines for the Texas 11
The Dallas Morning News has more details on the resolution to fine the absent Democrats:
Democrats will have 48 hours to come back to the Capitol. The fines start at $1,000 per senator on Thursday, increase to $2,000 on Friday, $4,000 on Saturday and then $5,000 per day until the end of the special session on Aug. 26. That would amount to $57,000 per senator by session's conclusion.Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Lewisville, offered the resolution to impose the penalties, stating that the fines must be paid out of each senator's personal funds.
Asked how the Republicans plan to enforce the fines on balking Democrats, Mr. Dewhurst said the sanctions would be decided this week. Under consideration are actions to cut the office budgets of each senator and to temporarily revoke the right to be on the Senate floor when the body is in session.
OK, they fine the Dems till they come back and then revoke their right to be on the floor. How does that enforce the quorum call? Why don't they just declare that Democratic votes don't count whenever the Governor declares that he really, really wants something passed?