Texas State Representatives Ann Johnson and Armando Walle, and extreme weather survivors condemn Governor Abbott for holding flood relief hostage to push partisan redistricting scheme
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TEXAS — Today, on the final day of Governor Greg Abbott’s failed special session, Texas State Representatives Ann Johnson and Armando Walle, and Keli Rabon and Kylie Nidever, two women who were impacted by the recent Kerr County flood, held a press conference calling out the Texas governor’s refusal to deliver urgently needed disaster relief to push a racially motivated mid-decade redistricting proposal.
As communities across Texas continue to recover from the devastating Independence Day floods, flood victims and state leaders condemned the governor for playing political games in Austin while Texans are in desperate need of disaster aid. Instead of acting quickly to deliver relief and strengthen future flood preparedness, Abbott’s special session agenda has prioritized partisan power grabs over people’s lives and homes.
“My children didn’t choose this trauma, but as their mother and a lifelong Texan, I am choosing to speak up,” said Keli Rabon, a Houston mother whose nine-year-old and seven-year-old were campers who survived the floods. “It’s time for the leadership that matches the courage of those teenage counselors who saved my son’s life.”
“Today marks 43 days since the flood,” said Kylie Nidever, a Hill Country flood survivor. “Forty-three days without emergency aid from the state. Forty-three days Governor Abbott has refused to use his emergency budget authority. And now, the special session he called will end with no quorum and no action on flood recovery.”
“After this special session ends, he can move money again without the special session being in operation,” said Rep. Armando Walle. “If we can move money for a non-emergency issue like building a border wall, we can move money for these grieving families.”
“I am grossly offended that the only bill that the Texas House leadership brought up for a hearing was on redistricting,” said Rep. Ann Johnson. “I am grossly offended that the only bill for which they have sought my arrest warrant to come back is on redistricting. And I am grossly offended that today, Governor Abbott and Republicans are running ads against Democrats, suggesting that we won’t come back for flooding.”