By Ben Meiselas
I’ll keep this quick.
Just before we went live with tonight’s MeidasTouch Podcast (click here to watch), I wrapped a special interview and had to share it directly with all of you, because what is happening right now in the Texas Capitol is authoritarianism, plain and simple.
Texas State Representative Nicole Collier, a six-term Democrat representing Fort Worth, joined me while being physically detained on the House floor. Yes, you read that right. The sergeant at arms and the Texas Department of Public Safety have literally locked the chamber doors and are refusing to let her leave unless she signs a so-called “permission slip” that would place her under 24/7 police escort. The goal? To guarantee she shows up for Wednesday’s special session, where Republicans plan to ram through racist, pro-Trump gerrymandered maps that would gift five extra seats to MAGA.
Rep. Collier is refusing to sign. She’s invoking her First Amendment right to dissent, and the Republican response has been to threaten her with arrest. This is state-sanctioned intimidation designed to silence the minority party and crush any resistance to their fascistic power-grab.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t about “procedure” or “decorum.” It’s about Republicans using law enforcement to hold a duly-elected official hostage so they can rig elections and hand Trump more power. That is not democracy.
Rep. Collier told me she’s prepared to stay on the floor all night if she has to. She’s doing what every patriot should do when bullies try to strip away our voice: RESIST. And she made one thing very clear: she’s not signing that paper.
Watch my interview with her above, or check it out on YouTube by clicking here. Like this post. Share it. Re-stack it. Let’s show Rep. Collier she’s not alone.
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