Thread: TX: Voter ID Tripped up by Dems

Voter ID bill left pending in Senate
Senate Democrat, lieutenant governor face off.
By Mark Lisheron
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and John Whitmire, the senior Democrat in the Senate, faced off angrily Tuesday over a bill that would require Texans to present identification to vote.

Saying he had been cheated out of a crucial vote to bring the bill to the floor, Whitmire of Houston cursed, stabbed his finger at Dewhurst and demanded — and got — a second vote.

But not before Dewhurst, in a rare flash of anger, told Whitmire, "You are going to compose yourself, or you are going to leave the floor."

The 11 Senate Democrats, with Whitmire's vote added, blocked a suspension of Senate rules that would have allowed a floor debate on the controversial Voter ID bill.

Democrats, including Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, contend that the bill is a way of disenfranchising potential voters who do not have the means to establish identification. On the Senate floor Tuesday, Shapleigh traced voter identification to a political tactic of presidential adviser Karl Rove.

Dewhurst said Tuesday that the bill has the support of the vast majority of Texans of all political stripes.

"Overwhelmingly, Texans believe only American citizens who are Texas residents should be allowed to vote," he said.

The vote that mattered Tuesday took Senate Democrats by surprise. Unencumbered by the usual recognitions and ceremonial resolutions at the start of the day, Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, sponsor of Senate Bill 218, asked that his bill be considered while several Democrats were not on the floor.

Alerted by their colleagues, lawmakers scurried back to their desks.

When Dewhurst called the roll, Sen. Glenn Hegar, R-Katy; Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio; and Whitmire were absent.

The vote was 19-9, a two-thirds majority favoring discussion of the bill. Because only a simple majority is required to pass a bill, Democrats are trying to prevent a debate of the measure.

Whitmire insisted later that he had been on the floor. But Dewhurst called Whitmire's name several times; getting no response, he took the tally.

"That's dirty," said Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, whose responsibility as chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Caucus is to keep her voting bloc together.

Dewhurst agreed to take a second vote, and as he called the roll again, Uresti, who had been sick in bed at his apartment near the Capitol, walked in to cast a "no" vote. The obviously surprised Democrats applauded Uresti.

Afterward, Whitmire was asked whether Dewhurst had smoothed things over by agreeing to another vote. "No comment," Whitmire said.

Dewhurst said he has always played by the rules of the Senate and never had any intention of discounting Whitmire's vote. He said he expected Fraser to bring up the bill again, should he see an advantage on the floor.

Van de Putte said that until Wednesday, the last opportunity to get the Voter ID bill passed, Democrats plan to take no chances.

"When we go to the bathroom," she said, "we're going to take a Republican along with us."

mlisheron@statesman.com

What the hell has happened to the amazingly strong, self sufficient, Constitutional patriotic TEXANS I used to know?

There's nothing wrong with Texans, except the 11 Democrats down in Austin that want illegal aliens and dead people voting.

This will equally and also "disenfranchise" Repulbican voters too!

Dixie

Like it is that hard to show ID, we have to in Idaho and when you register you have to show a utility bill or some other form along with picture ID proving your address, all states should be that way.

Yes, but the Dems would tell you that it is difficult for imaginary friends and the dead to produce sufficient ID.

There is no such thing as a disenfranchised voter in the state of Texas.

Everyone can vote on a provisional ballot, with out a voter's registration card, with out identification...

This is just a way of allowing fruadulent votes and making my vote not count!

Dixie