WATCH: Wendy Davis Speaks At The ‘Stand With Texas Women’ Rally

A reported crowd of 5,000 people rallied outside Texas’ capitol in Austin, as the second round of debate over Senate Bill 5 — the proposed legislation that would ban abortions after the 20th week and close the vast majority of women’s health clinics performing abortions throughout the state — before a 30-day special session called by Governor Rick Perry began in the state Senate.

State Senator Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth), whose filibuster helped prevent the passage of the legislation, thanked the crowd for the support she’s received in the past few days.

“It was your voices lent to me that made it possible for me to stand for those 13 hours,” she said.

The chances of blocking the legislation this time are not good for Texas Democrats, who used procedure and a raucous crowd to keep Republicans from passing Senate Bill 5 without any public hearing. Republicans will likely be able to call a final vote with enough time remaining in the session that it could not be filibustered.

Lt. Governor David Dewhurst (R-TX) called the Senate into recess until July 9, after waiving requirement that two-thirds of senators approve a bill before it gets a floor vote. A committee meeting on the legislation will convene Tuesday.

Dewhurst has admitted that the goal of the legislation is to close clinics that offer abortions.

Here’s Natalie Maines of The Dixie Chicks playing “Not Ready To Make Nice” at the same rally:

Screen Shot 2013-07-01 at 2.11.26 PM

Start your day with National Memo Newsletter

Know first.

The opinions that matter. Delivered to your inbox every morning

On Trial For Campaign Crimes, Trump Is Drenched In Tabloid Sewage

National Enquirer covers smearing Hillary Clinton in 2016

Back in the antediluvian era of American politics, perpetrating dirty tricks was considered proof of bad character and potentially disqualifying for public office, depending on circumstances.

Keep reading...Show less
Oklahoma Official Wants Chaplains In Schools -- But Only 'Christian' Nationalists

Ryan Walters

Book-Banning 'Moms For Liberty' Remind Me Of 'Harper Valley PTA' (And '1984')

Visitors to Oklahoma’s State Schools Superintendent’s personal social media page will notice a post vowing to “ban Critical Race Theory, protect women’s sports, and fight for school choice,” a post linking to a Politico profile of him that reads, “Meet the state GOP official at the forefront of injecting religion into public schools,” a photo of him closely embracing a co-founder of the anti-government extremist group Moms for Liberty, and a video in which he declares, “Oklahoma is MAGA country.”

Keep reading...Show less
{{ post.roar_specific_data.api_data.analytics }}