#TalkRadio – August 5: WANTED!: Texas Legislators Flee Unjust Redistricting and Alligator Alcatraz Protests

SPEAKERS:

John Nichols: 12:00 PM – 12:20 PM Eastern Time
National Affairs correspondent for The Nation and associate editor of The Capital Times. Books authored or co-authored by Nichols include “The Genius of Impeachment” and “The Death and Life of American Journalism”, and his latest, co-written with Senator Bernie Sanders, is the New York Times bestseller “It’s OK to Be Angry About Capitalism”

Rep. Ron Reynolds: 12:00 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Texas State Representative of House District 27 who serves as Chair of the Black Caucus for the state of Texas; the first African American elected as state representative in Fort Bend County since Reconstruction; Leader of the Black Legislative Caucus in Texas; Former Associate Municipal Judge for the City of Houston, Past President of the Houston Lawyers Association and Past President of the Missouri City & Vicinity NAACP

INTRODUCTION:

Hi Igniters For Change! The Igniting Change Radio Show on Tuesday, August 5th, 2025, from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Eastern Time, Entitled “WANTED!: Texas Legislators Flee Unjust Redistricting and Alligator Alcatraz Protests”, will be live with Radio Show Co-Hosts and Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC) Co-Leaders Attorneys Barbara Arnwine, Esq. and Daryl Jones, Esq. and will feature special guests Rep. Ron Reynolds and John Nichols.

Texas Redistricting Drama
For the first 20 minutes of the show, our guest John Nichols will break down what’s happening with the Texas redistricting drama right now. Here’s the background behind what’s unfolding in Texas:

Governor Greg Abbott and the Republican-controlled legislature are pushing a new redistricting plan that aims to create five additional Republican-controlled congressional districts. This move is widely seen as a partisan gerrymander – redrawing voting maps to favor one party – especially after former President Trump reportedly encouraged the strategy.

In response, Democratic lawmakers fled the state to block a quorum and delay the vote. Without the required number of legislators present, the House couldn’t conduct official business, essentially freezing the redistricting process. Texas House Republicans are unable to reach a quorum because more than 50 Democratic lawmakers have left the state. This walkout prevents the chamber from meeting the two-thirds attendance threshold required to conduct official business, effectively halting a vote on a controversial redistricting plan that would add five Republican congressional seats. 

Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu issued his statement on Sunday, August 3, 2025, as part of a press release explaining why Democratic lawmakers left the state to break quorum and block the redistricting vote. He explained the decision by saying it was made with moral clarity and accused Governor Abbott of using a racist map that would silence Black and Latino Texans and that Democrats would not be complicit in undermining communities that have fought for representation.

The situation mirrors past episodes of partisan battles over voting rights and map-drawing in Texas but stands out because of the involvement of a former president and the unusually forceful measures being proposed to compel legislative attendance

Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a strongly worded ultimatum on August 4, 2025, regarding Democratic legislators who fled the state to block a redistricting vote. Abbott said:

“The derelict Democrat House members must return to Texas and be in attendance when the House reconvenes at 3:00 PM on Monday, August 4, 2025. For any member who fails to do so, I will invoke Texas Attorney General Opinion No. KP-0382 to remove the missing Democrats from membership in the Texas House.”

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton added more aggressive language, posting:

“Democrats in the Texas House who try and run away like cowards should be found, arrested, and brought back to the Capitol immediately. We should use every tool at our disposal to hunt down those who think they are above the law.”

Abbott also threatened felony charges for lawmakers who accepted donations to cover fines from their absence, saying they may have violated bribery laws and that he would use his full extradition authority to demand their return.

Here’s a deeper dive into what the Texas redistricting plan is doing—and how it fits into the state’s long, contentious history with gerrymandering:

🗺️ What the Current Redistricting Plan Would Do

• Adds 5 new Republican-leaning congressional districts: These are strategically drawn in areas like Houston, Austin, Dallas, and South Texas, many of which have large Hispanic populations.

• Targets Democratic incumbents: Some districts now pit Democratic lawmakers against each other, forcing tough primary battles or pushing them into less favorable territory.

• Solidifies GOP control: The new map is designed to reduce competitive races and protect Republican incumbents, giving the party a buffer in the U.S. House ahead of the 2026 midterms.

• Triggers national ripple effects: Democratic governors in blue states like California are considering retaliatory redistricting to offset GOP gains.

📜 Historical Context of Texas Redistricting

• Redistricting happens every 10 years after the census, but Texas has a history of mid-decade redraws when politically convenient.

• 1876 Constitution: Established the framework for Texas’s redistricting process, including the “county line rule” for state House districts.

• Frequent legal challenges: Courts have struck down Texas maps repeatedly for racial and partisan gerrymandering—in the 1960s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and 2000s.

• Voting Rights Act of 1965: Historically required federal approval for changes in states with discriminatory histories, including Texas. That oversight was weakened by the Supreme Court in 2013.

• Recent precedent: The 2021 maps were already criticized for diluting minority voting power. The current push is even more aggressive, reportedly at the urging of former President Trump.

⚖️ Legal and Political Implications

• Federal courts have limited power to intervene in partisan gerrymandering since the 2019 Rucho v. Common Cause decision.

• Race-based challenges are still possible under the Voting Rights Act, especially if minority communities are “cracked” or “packed” to reduce their influence.

• Democratic lawmakers have fled the state to block the vote, risking fines and arrest, echoing similar standoffs in 2003 and 2021.

“Alligator Alcatraz” Protests

Our second guest, Rep, Ron Reynolds will continue the discussion on the Texas Redistricting drama and will also discuss the protests at and around Alligator Alcatraz. There is an ongoing hunger strike at “Alligator Alcatraz” by the people detained there which has entered its 14th day, as of the day of this show, August 5th. The strike began on July 23, as was confirmed by detainee Pedro Lorenzo Concepción, with detainees refusing food to protest what they describe as inhumane and unsanitary conditions, including lack of medical care, poor hygiene, and restricted access to legal counsel.

One detainee, Pedro Hernández, has been hospitalized but continues to refuse food. His wife has publicly expressed fear that he may die in custody or be deported alone back to Cuba. Meanwhile, DHS officials deny the existence of the hunger strike, calling the reports “false allegations” and “fake news”.

Faith leaders and activists have held interfaith prayer vigils outside the facility and town halls, and some religious groups have recently gained access to minister inside. The situation remains tense, with conflicting narratives between detainees, advocates, and government officials. Despite repeated denials from the Department of Homeland Security, multiple outlets continue to report that detainees are refusing food to protest unsanitary conditions, lack of medical care, and restricted legal access. The conflicting narratives haven’t slowed coverage, and the detainees’ protest appears to be holding strong.

Kristi Noem announced plans to use Florida’s Alligator Alcatraz detention center as a blueprint for expanding state-run immigration facilities across the country. She proposed building similar centers near airport runways in states like Arizona, Nebraska, and Louisiana to increase deportation efficiency and lower costs.

The Florida facility, built in eight days at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, houses thousands of detainees in tents and trailers surrounded by swampland. While it’s faced criticism over unsanitary conditions and legal challenges, Noem argues it’s more cost-effective than traditional ICE contracts with private prisons. She believes it allows for quicker processing and shorter detention periods, aligning with the Trump administration’s goal to double detention capacity and accelerate deportations.

QUESTIONS:

SEGMENT WITH JOHN NICHOLS (12:00 PM – 12:20 PM Eastern Time)

• Hi John, welcome back to Igniting Change.  We now find ourselves in a redistricting war with President Trump successfully urging the Texas GOP legislature to use partisan gerrymandering to create 5 more Republican controlled congressional districts.  Why is this so wrong?  
• John, Gov Abbott has announced that he is going to “remove the missing Democrats from membership in the Texas House.” The full quote in his strongly worded ultimatum on August 4, 2025, was: 
• “The derelict Democrat House members must return to Texas and be in attendance when the House reconvenes at 3:00 PM on Monday, August 4, 2025. For any member who fails to do so, I will invoke Texas Attorney General Opinion No. KP-0382 to remove the missing Democrats from membership in the Texas House.”
• John, Additionally, Abbott threatened felony charges for any lawmakers who accepted donations to cover fines incurred by their absence, stating they may have “violated bribery laws” and that he would use his “full extradition authority” to demand their return to Texas.
• Is this legal?
• Ken Paxton, the Texas Attorney General, used even more aggressive language—specifically the phrase “hunt down”— who posted:
• “Democrats in the Texas House who try and run away like cowards should be found, arrested, and brought back to the Capitol immediately. We should use every tool at our disposal to hunt down those who think they are above the law”
• What is your perspective of how the media is handling the reporting on this Texas ham-handed Partisan Gerrymandering at the behest of a sitting President?
• John, What do you want to say to our audience? 
• John, Thank you so much for joining us today. How do our listeners get in contact with you?

SEGMENT WITH Chairman Reynolds (12:20 PM – 12:56 PM Eastern Time)

• Chairman Reynolds, we have been here before with the Texas GOP attacking our democracy with voter suppression.  How is this time different?  
• Chairman Reynolds, What can our listeners do to support the Texas legislators who have fled from the State?
• Chairman Reynolds, How can our listeners make their opposition to this Partisan gerrymandering known to the Texas GOP?
• Chairman Reynolds, What do you think about the urging of the Blue State Democrat Controlled States like California to respond with their own partisan gerrymandering?
• Chairman Reynolds, as Chair of the Black Caucus for the State of Texas, What have the Democratic members done in response to this proposed legislative hijacking?  
• Chairman Reynolds, Let’s focus now on “Alligator Alcatraz”. What is Alligator Alcatraz?
• Chairman Reynolds, Why has it become a symbol of the heartless mass deportation policy of the Trump Administration?
• Chairman Reynolds, What do you think of the hunger strike over the alleged inhumane conditions at this facility?  
• Chairman Reynolds, Kristi Noem, has announced that she wants Alligator Alcatraz to become a model for other detention centers in the nation. Why should our listeners be concerned about the impact of this model on their communities?
• Chairman Reynolds,  What should our listeners do to oppose these policies?  
• Chairman Reynolds, What do you hope will happen to rein in the abuses of this detention center?  
• Chairman Reynolds, Thank you so much for joining us today. How do our listeners get in contact with you?

[ Arnwine will remind listeners:

• Join the Social Media Storm for the 60th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, happening now at 1:00 PM Eastern Time, hosted by the Leadership Conference. View their website and social media to participate.

• August 6th, 7:00 PM Eastern Time, TJC National Teletown Hall commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

• when you make those daily calls to the Congress at 202-224-3121 to vote NO and protest the SAVE Act

• to stay in those streets! 

• TJC will continue to vigorously defend the rights of all Americans and will fight the implementation of Project 2025 and our future shows will continue to cover any hate crimes and how we effectively protect ourselves while advancing our agenda for justice.]

[Daryl, Barbara, and guests may share their favorite books and encourage people to donate towards TJC’s giveaways of banned and affirming books.]