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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 4, 2003)
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By Juan A. Lozano THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HOUSTON — The first democratic senator to break anks with the boycotting legis lators who fled to New Mexico raid Wednesday that ultimately congressional redistricting will lave to be debated on the Texas senate floor. Sen. John Whitmire, a Houston Democrat, said if Republican Gov. Rick Perry Decides to continue calling spe cial legislative sessions on the issue, the governor can outlast he 10 Senate Democrats who femain in Albuquerque, N.M. *'We cannot remain in New exico indefinitely. At some int in time, unless you’re pre- ared to live in New Mexico, ou have to come back and ebate the issue on the Senate oor,” Whitmire told The ssociated Press on Wednesday ■during an interview in his 1 Houston office. “I really hope they’ll weigh options that allows them to have an end plan, an end game, short of being out there |any additional length of time.” Whitmire, who returned uesday night, spent ednesday talking with con- tituents, community leaders and some Democratic and epublican state senators. His taff was busy answering tele hone calls, some supportive nd others critical of Whitmire. The Houston legislator said e’ll spend the rest of the week alking with local and state olitical leaders to try and bring he two parties together on edistricting. He said he hopes to talk with jRepublican Lt. Gov. David t)ewhurst this week. He said he has spoken with Republican enators Jeff Wentworth of San Antonio and Florence Shapiro of Plano. Whitmire said he doesn’t expect Perry to call another spe cial session immediately. If that were to happen, he said, he is not sure whether he would attend. For now, he said, he doesn’t believe he will be apprehended and taken back to the state Capitol by law officers. "I don’t think they want me at this stage,” he said. “I’m doing them more good in the free world. But I’m monitoring it very carefully out of Austin. They’re not going to slip up on me.” At some point in time, unless you re prepared to live in New Mexico, you have to come back and debate the 99 issue. — Sen. John Whitmire Houston Democrat Dewhurst said Wednesday that he would prefer a third spe cial session be called within the next two weeks, although he has had no indication from Perry when a third would be called. Eleven Senate Democrats fled to New Mexico on July 28 just as Perry was about to call a second consecutive special leg islative session on redistricting. Their absence blocked a quorum in the 31-member chamber, shutting down Senate business. Two-thirds must be present for there to be a quorum. Whitmire said there is still "a close bond” between him and the Democratic senators who remain in New Mexico, even though some disagreed with his decision to return to Texas. He said he also returned to Texas because he didn't want the Senate’s so-called two-thirds rule permanently eroded, effect ing other issues in the future besides redistricting. Meanwhile, in Austin, Republican senators met behind closed doors to consider possi ble plans redrawing the state’s congressional lines. Dewhurst said no conclusion was reached, but that senators were commit ted to reaching a consensus on a map by early next week. The Democrats fled to New Mexico in part because they claimed GOP leaders violated the federal Voting Rights Act by dropping a traditional rule that requires two-thirds of the Senate to agree to debate a bill. Republicans point out that the two-thirds provision hasn’t been in place for all special sessions. ‘‘I’m glad to be at home but I’m not celebrating anything. I’m very disappointed where we find ourselves, saddened by the condition the Senate finds itself and mad at those who created this unfortunate set of circum stances,” Whitmire said. “Would I rather be here than New Mexico? Yeah. I’d rather be here than in Austin.” Whitmire said if any redis tricting plan is passed by legis lators, ultimately it will have to be approved by the courts. The Senate Democrats already have one lawsuit pending in federal court in Laredo. “It’s my goal to get people back to the Senate floor, have a heated debate and move on to where (the Senate) will again be recognized as the greatest leg islative body on Earth,” Whitmire said. MWafate&ui JHK The Pharmacy ^AmericaTrusts Skydive This Weekend Fri., Sat., Sun. 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