1
00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:04,960
Speaker 1: Look at rady yo o La la Loka motes, I'm Theosa.

2
00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:05,720
Speaker 2: And I'm Mala.

3
00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:09,080
Speaker 1: Today we're bringing you a special episode. We are in

4
00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:14,360
Speaker 1: conversation with Representative Linda Garcia of District one oh seven

5
00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:19,840
Speaker 1: in Texas. She along with her Democratic colleagues, fled Texas

6
00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:24,759
Speaker 1: to break quorum. She and her colleagues are fighting for

7
00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:28,440
Speaker 1: all of us. What they are fighting against is redistricting

8
00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:32,239
Speaker 1: by the urging of President Trump and Governor Abbot, and

9
00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:36,280
Speaker 1: this affects all of us. They are fighting for us

10
00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:39,800
Speaker 1: and for democracy. Our own Governor Gavin Newsom held a

11
00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:46,000
Speaker 1: press conference August fourteenth in response to the jerrymandering that

12
00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:50,080
Speaker 1: Governor Abbott and President Trump are doing in Texas. He

13
00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:53,880
Speaker 1: is calling it the Election Rigging Response, and he was

14
00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:57,680
Speaker 1: in Los Angeles to discuss why this is so urgent

15
00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:02,520
Speaker 1: and how California isiding back against Donald Trump and the

16
00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:08,080
Speaker 1: jerrymandering that could potentially happen in Texas. If the jerrymandering

17
00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:13,000
Speaker 1: and redistricting that is unconstitutional is approved, it sets the

18
00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:15,360
Speaker 1: stage for the rest of the country, which is why

19
00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:18,759
Speaker 1: we wanted to bring this urgent episode to y'all today.

20
00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:23,440
Speaker 2: And this also happening in the context of ICE breaking

21
00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:27,319
Speaker 2: a TRO which is a temporary restraining order that was

22
00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:30,080
Speaker 2: put in place by a judge to keep ICE out

23
00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:34,680
Speaker 2: of California. ICE has explicitly broken that TRO. They continue

24
00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:41,520
Speaker 2: to invade LA and to stage stings where they continued

25
00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:48,200
Speaker 2: to detain Angelino's regardless of their immigration status honestly and

26
00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:54,080
Speaker 2: are practicing a racial profiling on a widespread basis. Most recently,

27
00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:58,520
Speaker 2: in Little Tokyo, ICE agents conducted a raid in front

28
00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:02,480
Speaker 2: of the Japanese American National Museum in downtown LA. And

29
00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,880
Speaker 2: this raid in Little Tokyo took place at the exact

30
00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:11,760
Speaker 2: same time that Governor Newsom was speaking and was discussing

31
00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:15,400
Speaker 2: the election rigging Response ACT. I think everything about that

32
00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:20,320
Speaker 2: moment is symbolic, everything from staging the raid at the

33
00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:23,520
Speaker 2: same time that Governor Newsom was speaking to the location

34
00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:27,680
Speaker 2: in front of the Japanese American Museum, which commemorates the

35
00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:32,480
Speaker 2: history of Japanese internment. In California and in Texas, Linda

36
00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:37,320
Speaker 2: Garcia and other House Dems are doing what they can

37
00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:42,840
Speaker 2: to fight back politically, as Trump prod's Texas Republicans to

38
00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:47,520
Speaker 2: redraw their maps, setting off redistricting battles all across the nation,

39
00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:52,160
Speaker 2: from Florida, Ohio, Indiana, all the way to New York, Maryland, Illinois,

40
00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:57,480
Speaker 2: New Jersey, and Linda Garcia and other Dems in Texas

41
00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:01,359
Speaker 2: fled the state to block the Republican Life Legislature from

42
00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:05,079
Speaker 2: approving a new map, preventing it from reaching the quorum necessary,

43
00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:09,400
Speaker 2: and a second special session is expected to begin Friday.

44
00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:14,799
Speaker 2: The absent lawmakers, including Representative Garcia, are facing threats, afines,

45
00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:20,080
Speaker 2: civil arrest threats, and calls for their removal from public office.

46
00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:22,919
Speaker 2: Linda Garcia joins us on this special episode of Look

47
00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:25,480
Speaker 2: at Lotter Radio to break down everything that's going on

48
00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:28,679
Speaker 2: in Texas and why we in California need to pay

49
00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:33,560
Speaker 2: attention and why we need to show up and vote.

50
00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:36,520
Speaker 3: How are you doing?

51
00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:42,520
Speaker 4: Oh my gosh. You know, I'm just going to keep

52
00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:47,080
Speaker 4: it one hundred because there's so many things going on

53
00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:51,400
Speaker 4: and I think that you know, I've been getting messages

54
00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:54,920
Speaker 4: all day, you know, yesterday we got to hear from

55
00:03:55,320 --> 00:04:00,960
Speaker 4: President Obama and my phone has been blowing up of

56
00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:13,720
Speaker 4: like positivity. But it's a hard day today and I

57
00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:16,799
Speaker 4: just want to be honest, and I'm sorry, I'm getting

58
00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:21,800
Speaker 4: emotional because I know I'm supposed to be strong and

59
00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:22,880
Speaker 4: all this stuff, but.

60
00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:32,839
Speaker 3: I think doing what we're doing requires a lot of courage,

61
00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:37,839
Speaker 3: a lot of strength, and sometimes you don't always you know,

62
00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:38,480
Speaker 3: feel it.

63
00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:46,120
Speaker 1: Absolutely. Thank you, Linda, Thank you Representative Garcia for joining

64
00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:49,520
Speaker 1: us today and for just starting with this candor and

65
00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:53,839
Speaker 1: honesty about how you're feeling and where you're at right now.

66
00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:56,840
Speaker 1: And we're just honored that you wanted to join us

67
00:04:56,839 --> 00:04:58,400
Speaker 1: today to talk with us.

68
00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:02,159
Speaker 2: Thank you for being here in this is also a

69
00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:07,200
Speaker 2: really important reminder that our elected officials are people, and

70
00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:11,800
Speaker 2: that threats of any kind and the violence politically that

71
00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:16,560
Speaker 2: we're seeing that you are impacted and you have a family,

72
00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:21,440
Speaker 2: and that as brave as you are and your fellow Dems,

73
00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:27,200
Speaker 2: that it's still scary what you're experiencing. And we thank

74
00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:30,680
Speaker 2: you for reaching out to us to share on the

75
00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:34,400
Speaker 2: podcast for our listeners. And I'm wondering if you can

76
00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:38,360
Speaker 2: take us to the beginning and what's been going on,

77
00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:39,200
Speaker 2: catch us up.

78
00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:46,000
Speaker 4: Absolutely so, we have like major crisis that is taking

79
00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:50,440
Speaker 4: place right now in politics in the United States of America.

80
00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:57,960
Speaker 4: Trump has requested five congressional seats, and these congressional seats

81
00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:02,120
Speaker 4: are a threat to the mock see. He is basically

82
00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:09,040
Speaker 4: leveraging his power to continue to have more power, which

83
00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:13,359
Speaker 4: is something that everybody needs to be paying attention to

84
00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:17,720
Speaker 4: because just because the five congressional seats are being requested

85
00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:20,440
Speaker 4: in the state of Texas does not mean that it

86
00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:23,600
Speaker 4: is only a Texas issue. This means that he is

87
00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:27,880
Speaker 4: trying to maintain his power in the House and not

88
00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:31,119
Speaker 4: become a lame duck, which is what we're all hoping for.

89
00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:39,800
Speaker 4: This also is a very clear segue to his attempt

90
00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:44,320
Speaker 4: in a third term. And for people that believe in

91
00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:47,799
Speaker 4: the Constitution and do not think that this is possible,

92
00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:53,040
Speaker 4: please know that the power grab in Texas is unconstitutional

93
00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:57,320
Speaker 4: and we have seen actions that do not respect the

94
00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:01,159
Speaker 4: Constitution time after time after time, time after time with

95
00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:04,680
Speaker 4: this man, and we have also seen not very many

96
00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:09,720
Speaker 4: people standing up to him. So he calls for five

97
00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:13,800
Speaker 4: congressional seats in the state of Texas, it's not my seat.

98
00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:18,600
Speaker 4: It's a congressional which means it's like a national position.

99
00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:23,440
Speaker 4: I am part of being a Texas representative, which is

100
00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:28,000
Speaker 4: different from a House representative. A Texas representative works and

101
00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:33,320
Speaker 4: manages laws that solely impact Texas, you will never see

102
00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:41,320
Speaker 4: besides Trump, a United States president intermingling in state law.

103
00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:45,360
Speaker 4: That just does not happen. But time and time again,

104
00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:54,760
Speaker 4: Trump has spoken to our Republican colleagues lobbied for votes

105
00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:58,880
Speaker 4: in a certain direction, which again the president has no

106
00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:03,040
Speaker 4: business doing. So we know he has a very strong

107
00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:09,000
Speaker 4: allyship with Governor Abbott. The five congressional seats, those are

108
00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:12,960
Speaker 4: our responsibility to vote on, so we hold the power

109
00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:17,720
Speaker 4: to make those changes, even though they are not our seats.

110
00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:23,880
Speaker 4: And so because we are the minority party, we had

111
00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:28,960
Speaker 4: to hit the nuclear button, which does not mean that

112
00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:31,760
Speaker 4: it's going to solve the problem because we are still

113
00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:35,640
Speaker 4: the minority party. So just so everyone understands, when we

114
00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:39,400
Speaker 4: vote on something on the House floor in the state,

115
00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:43,160
Speaker 4: we have to make sure that we make quorum, which

116
00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:47,280
Speaker 4: just means that a full body of legislators is present.

117
00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:52,000
Speaker 4: In the Constitution, it has been written that people can

118
00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:56,840
Speaker 4: break koram not create the entire body members could be missing.

119
00:08:57,320 --> 00:09:00,840
Speaker 4: That is a tool that is legal and has been

120
00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:04,720
Speaker 4: used in emergency situations in the event that someone is

121
00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:07,640
Speaker 4: trying to pass a law that people feel could be

122
00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:13,120
Speaker 4: a threat to society. And so we have used that power.

123
00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:17,120
Speaker 4: We have used that tool and we left Texas. We

124
00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:22,280
Speaker 4: are in Illinois where Governor Pritzker here in the state

125
00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:28,600
Speaker 4: has helped protect us. And it is not that we

126
00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:32,200
Speaker 4: can stop the maps from passing from passing because we

127
00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:35,960
Speaker 4: are a minority party, but we were hoping to activate

128
00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:41,200
Speaker 4: and try and get others to help us hold Trump

129
00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:43,000
Speaker 4: accountable for what he's doing.

130
00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:49,240
Speaker 2: And you're fleeing Texas along with other Dems and breaking quorum.

131
00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:53,640
Speaker 2: It was so powerful, in fact, that you have been

132
00:09:53,679 --> 00:09:58,920
Speaker 2: subjected to bomb threats and threats of arrest from Governor Abbott.

133
00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:01,400
Speaker 2: Can you talk to us a little bit about those

134
00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:03,160
Speaker 2: threats that you all have received.

135
00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:07,240
Speaker 4: If I can just describe the scene. I was asleep

136
00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:10,600
Speaker 4: with my son. I broke korm with my son because

137
00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:15,040
Speaker 4: he was out for the summer and the proper childcare

138
00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:18,200
Speaker 4: just wasn't accessible during the day while his dad's at work.

139
00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:20,720
Speaker 4: It was a hard decision, but one that I had

140
00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:25,880
Speaker 4: to make, and so we were both asleep and all

141
00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:29,400
Speaker 4: of a sudden, we just hear this blaring alarm that

142
00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:34,120
Speaker 4: sounds like a fire alarm, except for the verbiage is

143
00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:40,040
Speaker 4: something like there is a bomb threat, Please evacuate blaring alarm,

144
00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:43,600
Speaker 4: there is a bomb threat, Please evacuate, over and over,

145
00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:47,720
Speaker 4: and of course I know immediately where the threat is

146
00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:53,280
Speaker 4: coming from. And had I been by myself, I think

147
00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:56,320
Speaker 4: it would have been a completely different experience for me.

148
00:10:56,960 --> 00:10:59,720
Speaker 4: But because I was with my son, I sort of

149
00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:07,040
Speaker 4: just froze and really just questioned everything, like, you know,

150
00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:10,839
Speaker 4: why am I even doing this? Not breaking quorum because

151
00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:16,240
Speaker 4: that's clear in my heart, but just carrying the burden of,

152
00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:22,280
Speaker 4: you know, trying to be a public servant and trying

153
00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:27,280
Speaker 4: to do the best that I possibly can with the

154
00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:32,000
Speaker 4: hand that I'm dealt. So you know, we've had other threats,

155
00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:35,240
Speaker 4: like the FBI is coming after you. All of these

156
00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:40,960
Speaker 4: things were you know, most likely being monitored. The thing

157
00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:45,600
Speaker 4: is that we aren't just fighting up against you know,

158
00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:49,760
Speaker 4: our governor, which would be different because we all signed

159
00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:52,520
Speaker 4: up to fight against him. But we are you know,

160
00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:55,560
Speaker 4: state representatives that are standing up to Donald Trump, and

161
00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:59,480
Speaker 4: we really haven't seen that happen yet.

162
00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:04,079
Speaker 1: Thank you so much for Representative Garcia for sharing what

163
00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:06,120
Speaker 1: your experience has been like. And I want to go

164
00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:08,920
Speaker 1: back to this question that you asked yourself, why am

165
00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:12,120
Speaker 1: I doing this? And we interviewed you when you were

166
00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:17,040
Speaker 1: campaigning and this is your first term, and this is

167
00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:21,480
Speaker 1: an incredibly difficult first term given and I want to

168
00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:24,800
Speaker 1: emphasize that you said like breaking quorum was right for

169
00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:27,240
Speaker 1: you and writ in your heart and going back to

170
00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:29,600
Speaker 1: your why and asking yourself why am I doing this?

171
00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:34,280
Speaker 1: What have you been telling yourself since then? What is

172
00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:34,840
Speaker 1: that answer?

173
00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:37,160
Speaker 3: Sure?

174
00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:41,440
Speaker 4: Yeah, So I want to tell you all that, like

175
00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:45,440
Speaker 4: please don't you can call me Linda, Please don't call

176
00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:50,040
Speaker 4: me representatives Garcia. I want I'm wanting to come to

177
00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:52,840
Speaker 4: you today as Linda, you know what I mean, and

178
00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:54,439
Speaker 4: just yes and just.

179
00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:57,640
Speaker 1: I also want to give you the respect Linda, because

180
00:12:57,640 --> 00:13:00,439
Speaker 1: you have been like you've been doing the media circuit

181
00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:04,160
Speaker 1: like this has made national news. And when I when

182
00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:06,680
Speaker 1: we see you, like you have to know that when

183
00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:09,320
Speaker 1: we see you doing these media circuits, we literally say

184
00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:12,199
Speaker 1: to ourselves like that's our girl, like that is her

185
00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:15,480
Speaker 1: we were at we all grow together, like we have

186
00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:17,760
Speaker 1: been knowing you, right, and we just are so proud

187
00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:19,360
Speaker 1: of you, and so also want to give you the

188
00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:22,360
Speaker 1: respect of like your representative Garcia. But I also like

189
00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:24,640
Speaker 1: I know, like Istamo wasn't family at them be in

190
00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:25,160
Speaker 1: right now.

191
00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:29,680
Speaker 4: See and let's keep it that way. Because you ask

192
00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:31,200
Speaker 4: me like, what's my why.

193
00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:34,480
Speaker 3: That's my why. That's it.

194
00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:40,200
Speaker 4: I want to, you know, show up as my full self,

195
00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:45,240
Speaker 4: my arms tattooed, and walk onto the house floor, and

196
00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:50,040
Speaker 4: some people may look at me like, you know, ivy

197
00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:53,200
Speaker 4: and Elachusma or something. But that's the way I feel

198
00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:55,719
Speaker 4: when Donald Trump walks in the White House, you know.

199
00:13:56,960 --> 00:13:59,920
Speaker 3: So I just want to you know, I just.

200
00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:05,199
Speaker 4: Want to reflect that any we can accomplish whatever it

201
00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:07,600
Speaker 4: is that we want to accomplish, and we can take

202
00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:11,199
Speaker 4: up the space, and in such a conservative space, you know,

203
00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:16,040
Speaker 4: my why is to make sure that our people see

204
00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:17,880
Speaker 4: ourselves reflected there.

205
00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:28,040
Speaker 2: I appreciate also your urgency to inform the community and

206
00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:31,600
Speaker 2: the audience about the imminent threat to democracy and the

207
00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:36,040
Speaker 2: attempt to extend Trump's presidency to a third term. I

208
00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:38,320
Speaker 2: was just in an uber the other day and the

209
00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:41,600
Speaker 2: uber driver was a Latino male, and we're talking about

210
00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:46,320
Speaker 2: ice raids and everything that's going on politically, and he said, well, well,

211
00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:48,520
Speaker 2: I guess we just have to wait what three more years,

212
00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:51,320
Speaker 2: and then he'll be out. And I think that there's

213
00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:53,640
Speaker 2: a lot of fear, but I think that there are

214
00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:56,560
Speaker 2: people who are sort of sitting on their hands and thinking, well,

215
00:14:56,640 --> 00:14:59,120
Speaker 2: he'll just turn out and then it'll be over. And

216
00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:02,600
Speaker 2: what do you have to say to that and to

217
00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:04,040
Speaker 2: that mentality?

218
00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:08,120
Speaker 4: Yeah, I have to say that we need to believe

219
00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:11,680
Speaker 4: him when he says he's going to attempt a third term.

220
00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:16,160
Speaker 4: He is clearly showing us actions of that today right

221
00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:21,680
Speaker 4: now as we speak. And you know, there's a handful

222
00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:25,720
Speaker 4: of US Texas legislators trying to execute something that is

223
00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:30,120
Speaker 4: a heavy lift, that is trying to save democracy for

224
00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:34,000
Speaker 4: the United States, and it's it's, if I'm just being honest,

225
00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:37,280
Speaker 4: it's too heavy of a lift for just us. And

226
00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:41,440
Speaker 4: I want I wanted to come on here because you

227
00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:46,400
Speaker 4: know your governor is standing up against him right now,

228
00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:53,080
Speaker 4: and I just want to urge my people in California

229
00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:57,000
Speaker 4: that this is the time to stand behind him. He

230
00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:03,360
Speaker 4: has created a trigger where he's gonna take away all

231
00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:08,960
Speaker 4: the Republican congressional seats in California, a temporary trigger that

232
00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:12,360
Speaker 4: this only happens for this term. The way you all

233
00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:16,480
Speaker 4: draw up congressional seats, it's protected and it's the way

234
00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:20,960
Speaker 4: that we should draw up congressional seats in every single state,

235
00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:24,680
Speaker 4: which is not done by politicians the way it's done

236
00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:28,000
Speaker 4: in Texas. It's done by the people. It's done by

237
00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:31,320
Speaker 4: a commission that is a separate entity, and then you

238
00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:33,840
Speaker 4: all get to vote on it. And so you have

239
00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:37,680
Speaker 4: a very important vote that is coming up in California,

240
00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:40,480
Speaker 4: and I just want to highlight that this is not

241
00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:46,760
Speaker 4: about Republicans versus Democrats. This is about saving our democracy

242
00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:54,600
Speaker 4: and it we must vote alongside Governor Newsom to change

243
00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:57,760
Speaker 4: these maps, which we have no doubt that you all

244
00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:01,240
Speaker 4: aren't going to come through, no doubt. But you know,

245
00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:03,880
Speaker 4: if we want to talk about taking action, we have

246
00:17:04,040 --> 00:17:06,399
Speaker 4: to make sure that you all get out to the

247
00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:11,320
Speaker 4: polls in overwhelming numbers, just to send a message.

248
00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:17,960
Speaker 2: As extreme as the Trump regime is becoming, do you

249
00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:22,920
Speaker 2: see any Republicans jumping ship. Do you see any Republicans

250
00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:27,399
Speaker 2: saying this is too much, this is an abomination, we

251
00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:30,800
Speaker 2: need to make a change. We're not supporting this anymore.

252
00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:33,560
Speaker 2: Are you seeing that happening? Or are Republicans across the

253
00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:36,520
Speaker 2: board doubling down with their support of Donald Trump.

254
00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:41,120
Speaker 4: So I will tell you that within the House, there

255
00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:45,440
Speaker 4: are some of my Republican colleagues that do not agree

256
00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:49,200
Speaker 4: with what is happening right now, But they are so

257
00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:55,040
Speaker 4: afraid to stand up that they just simply will not.

258
00:17:56,280 --> 00:18:00,520
Speaker 4: It's wild to me. They have forgotten who they serve.

259
00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:03,600
Speaker 4: They forgot that they serve. The public were not here,

260
00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:07,760
Speaker 4: Like I said, I didn't sign up to go against Trump,

261
00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:10,200
Speaker 4: like I signed up to fight Greg Abbott, like we're

262
00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:12,840
Speaker 4: in this. I know my boundaries and I know you

263
00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:15,520
Speaker 4: know where I am working and who I am serving.

264
00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:19,320
Speaker 4: And it is just crazy to me. Donald Trump can

265
00:18:19,359 --> 00:18:22,000
Speaker 4: pick up the phone in our house and call our

266
00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:25,320
Speaker 4: Republican members and have him vote a certain way because

267
00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:30,639
Speaker 4: billionaires outside of Texas have invested in certain policies in

268
00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:34,560
Speaker 4: our state. They've stripped us away from They've underfunded our

269
00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:38,000
Speaker 4: public schools. They took a ton of money away last session.

270
00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:40,920
Speaker 4: This session. Now in the state of Texas, it's going

271
00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:46,760
Speaker 4: to be legal to funnel tax dollars away from public

272
00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:50,440
Speaker 4: schools and into private schools. It's like a coupon for

273
00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:53,119
Speaker 4: rich people to go to private school And this is

274
00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:57,200
Speaker 4: all because of an outside investor. Donald Trump called the

275
00:18:57,280 --> 00:18:59,600
Speaker 4: Republicans to make sure that they voted the way he

276
00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:03,040
Speaker 4: wanted too so, and there are Republicans that didn't agree.

277
00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:05,600
Speaker 4: They were going to stand with the Democrats on this,

278
00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:07,720
Speaker 4: and then they got the phone call from Trump and

279
00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:14,720
Speaker 4: they switched. But there is a Republican US representative in

280
00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:18,119
Speaker 4: the state of Texas that filed a bill where he

281
00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:25,200
Speaker 4: wants to make mid Way redistricting unconstitutional. Obviously to oppose

282
00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:29,440
Speaker 4: what Gavin is doing right now, but it's important for

283
00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:32,320
Speaker 4: us to get the message across that he's also opposing

284
00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:35,040
Speaker 4: what the President is calling for in the state of Texas,

285
00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:38,399
Speaker 4: and he is also opposing for the redistricting in the

286
00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:39,240
Speaker 4: state of Texas.

287
00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:43,320
Speaker 2: I want to go back to ICE and ICE detention,

288
00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:49,960
Speaker 2: and as we've seen, ICE agents will arrest, detained basically

289
00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:54,800
Speaker 2: anybody off of the street, undocumented or not, citizen or not.

290
00:19:55,840 --> 00:20:00,040
Speaker 2: And the risk of sounding like a conspiracy theorist, do

291
00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:03,480
Speaker 2: you think that there is a future in which ICE

292
00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:07,760
Speaker 2: agents will detain anybody, including those who are only politically

293
00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:11,240
Speaker 2: in opposition to Donald Trump. If they're able to detain

294
00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:15,879
Speaker 2: anybody regardless of citizenship status, is it plausible that they

295
00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:20,680
Speaker 2: could start detaining people simply because they pose a political obstacle.

296
00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:27,520
Speaker 4: We are watching ICE agents not show who they are,

297
00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:32,840
Speaker 4: not have a warrant signed by a judge or any

298
00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:37,240
Speaker 4: warrant at all. We are watching bounty hunters, We're watching copycats.

299
00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:39,879
Speaker 4: I think absolutely there.

300
00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:40,639
Speaker 3: Is a world.

301
00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:42,639
Speaker 4: We can bet on it. There is a world that

302
00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:47,000
Speaker 4: exists where any type of opposition will be removed. We're

303
00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:53,760
Speaker 4: watching it right now. As legislators. We're being threatened with

304
00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:58,639
Speaker 4: removing us from public office. When our constituents put us

305
00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:02,320
Speaker 4: in put us into office. They don't have the right

306
00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:05,639
Speaker 4: to remove us, and they're threatening us with that. We

307
00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:10,440
Speaker 4: legally broke quorum, and so I think that I think

308
00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:13,160
Speaker 4: this is why it's I feel like it's an urgent

309
00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:15,200
Speaker 4: matter for me to speak to you all and just

310
00:21:15,280 --> 00:21:19,240
Speaker 4: try to speak to as many friends as possible, because

311
00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:24,400
Speaker 4: I know how this can be very overwhelming and we're

312
00:21:24,440 --> 00:21:27,200
Speaker 4: watching content and it's like what do we do, how

313
00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:30,800
Speaker 4: do we help? Where do we go? We are at

314
00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:34,800
Speaker 4: like a really big crisis right now. This is a

315
00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:39,920
Speaker 4: massive issue that needs everybody's attention. My hope is that

316
00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:47,680
Speaker 4: we will mobilize. In Texas, forty percent of registered voters

317
00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:52,240
Speaker 4: are Democrat, but they are not showing up to vote,

318
00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:56,040
Speaker 4: and so I hope that we mobilize across the country

319
00:21:56,119 --> 00:22:00,600
Speaker 4: and understand that again, this is not about Republican versus Democrat.

320
00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:02,920
Speaker 4: This is about trying to save democracy and get this

321
00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:03,960
Speaker 4: man out of power.

322
00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:07,639
Speaker 1: What's next for you and your democratic colleagues.

323
00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:11,960
Speaker 4: We have a lot of wins to celebrate. Obviously, your

324
00:22:12,119 --> 00:22:18,080
Speaker 4: governor he has graciously had our back. Several other governors

325
00:22:18,119 --> 00:22:21,080
Speaker 4: across the state are starting to move in the same direction.

326
00:22:21,359 --> 00:22:26,640
Speaker 4: We were hoping that our decision to do this would

327
00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:31,959
Speaker 4: get us national attention. That is almost as far as

328
00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:34,960
Speaker 4: we can go. The other option would be that we

329
00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:40,320
Speaker 4: break quorum until May of next year. We're regular people.

330
00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:43,560
Speaker 4: I mean, you saw me when I opened up. There

331
00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:46,560
Speaker 4: were moments today where I thought like, maybe I should

332
00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:49,000
Speaker 4: just have, you know, my chief cancel the call, and

333
00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:51,000
Speaker 4: I'm like, no, I have to do it, even if

334
00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:53,560
Speaker 4: they see me distraught, Like I just have to push

335
00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:55,680
Speaker 4: through and get the message out as quick as I

336
00:22:55,760 --> 00:23:03,320
Speaker 4: can and to as many people as I can't. We

337
00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:07,080
Speaker 4: can't hold out till May. That's it's not realistic. And

338
00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:12,560
Speaker 4: there are approximately three seats away, three Democrats away from

339
00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:15,920
Speaker 4: making quorum. So we're going to have to go back

340
00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:17,920
Speaker 4: and put up a fight on the floor, which is

341
00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:20,440
Speaker 4: still very important. When we go on the floor to

342
00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:24,240
Speaker 4: fight the bills and present amendments. We are actually presenting

343
00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:30,280
Speaker 4: a case and all of those cases, hearings from our

344
00:23:30,440 --> 00:23:33,680
Speaker 4: community members that come into testify, all of that is

345
00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:37,480
Speaker 4: held as evidence so that we can go to the

346
00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:40,400
Speaker 4: next fight, which is hope that our courts in Texas

347
00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:43,440
Speaker 4: will see that this is a racial jerry mandering. We

348
00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:46,640
Speaker 4: haven't even gotten into that because it's racial jerry mandering.

349
00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:52,000
Speaker 4: So in the state of Texas, three Latinos will have

350
00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:58,200
Speaker 4: to vote when one white person votes, five African Americans

351
00:23:58,280 --> 00:24:01,440
Speaker 4: will have to vote when one white person votes. That's

352
00:24:01,480 --> 00:24:05,600
Speaker 4: how much they've watered down our vote. It is complete jerrymandering,

353
00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:08,560
Speaker 4: and so we have to make that case, set it

354
00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:12,320
Speaker 4: up so that hopefully the courts will be on our side.

355
00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:16,080
Speaker 4: The other thing that we're leaning into that's a really

356
00:24:16,119 --> 00:24:20,280
Speaker 4: big win for us is that you will pass the

357
00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:25,920
Speaker 4: maps and we wash what they've done in Texas. But

358
00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:29,719
Speaker 4: still the reality is that our state is impacted. I mean,

359
00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:33,360
Speaker 4: we believe that our state is at the very least purple.

360
00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:36,400
Speaker 4: Latinos in Texas are the majority.

361
00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:41,440
Speaker 2: Linda Garcia, Representative Garcia from District one oh seven in Texas,

362
00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:45,879
Speaker 2: thank you once again for joining us today. On the

363
00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:48,399
Speaker 2: special episode of loc at Thought our Radio, for sharing

364
00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:51,440
Speaker 2: the urgency of what's going on not only in Texas

365
00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:55,480
Speaker 2: but also in California, and for your bravery as a

366
00:24:55,520 --> 00:25:00,439
Speaker 2: public servant, for breaking quorum and for sharing with our

367
00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:02,359
Speaker 2: audience today. We really appreciate you.

368
00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:06,199
Speaker 4: Thank you all for opening up your space. I appreciate you.

369
00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:31,120
Speaker 2: And we're praying for you. Honestly, Loca Landia