Democratic State Representative Donna Howard was mocked on Thursday after posting a picture of her clothes, saying she washed them in her sink.
Howard was one of 60 Democratic local lawmakers who fled to Washington D.C. on Monday to stop the Republican-majority state legislature from passing two voting rights bills that they deem 'restrictive'. The group are being put up in a $200-a-night hotel.
'You bet we're recognizing & honoring our country's heritage', she wrote on Twitter. 'As most Texans, tho, this is what we're doing tonight - using whatever is accessible, washing our clothes in the sink'.
She included a picture of her leopard print t-shirt and panties, three plain pairs of underpants, and a bra drying over the shower rail in her hotel room.
Howard was widely mocked for sharing the picture from her hotel bedroom, with many pointing out she had plenty of time to pack before leaving Texas.
'You had plenty of to pack a bag tho', one user wrote.
Another pointed out she could easily have had her clothes washed at a nearby laundromat, and suggested the tweet was a joke.
'I can walk two blocks to a laundromat and have them wash, dry, and fold my clothes in like 3 hours for $.75/lb. How is this not a bit?'
Others responded sarcastically to the runaway Texan Democrat, saying: 'We are in awe of your sacrifice. I cannot even fathom how you are staying strong through these difficult times. A true hero', one user wrote.
Democratic State Representative Donna Howard was mocked on Thursday after posting a picture of her clothes, saying she washed them in her sink
Democratic Texas Rep. Donna Howard speaks in the house chamber in Austin, Texas, on May 5, 2021
Others joked Howard should leak pictures of her underpants to the press if she wants to show them off.
While another suggested she was seeking attention, posted a picture of delivery man holding several boxes with the caption 'here's all that attention you ordered'.
Another joked private jets often lose people's luggage and are 'not to be trusted'.
'50/50 chance those dang private jets will lose your luggage. Not to be trusted. Please let us know when your gofundme account is set up.'
The lawmakers fled Texas for Washington D.C. on two private jets chartered at $100,000 on Monday.
The lawmakers met with progressive Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren at the Capitol on Wednesday morning after meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris the day before.
It is not clear who else the group plans to meet with while in D.C. Texas' Republican Governor Greg Abbott late on Tuesday slammed President Joe Biden and the Democrats for 'spreading disinformation' about the election bills, claiming the legislation would actually expand voters' rights.
'Biden has a pattern of spreading misinformation & he's at it again today,' Abbott wrote in a tweet.
'The [Texas Legislature] is passing a law that EXPANDS early voting hours & prevents mail-in ballot fraud. Texas is making it EASIER to vote & harder to cheat,' he added.
The Texas Senate bill would allow voting from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. – an increase of three hours on weekdays and 10 hours on Sundays – and would lower the population threshold from 100,000 to 30,000 for counties to open the polling booths for at least 12 hours in the week before Election Day.
Mail voters would also be asked to verify their identities with a state ID number or the last four digits of their Social Security number in a bid to get rid of signature verification that accounts for a higher number of rejected ballots.
Texas Democrats believe the two bills passing through the state legislature would make it harder to vote and fled the state and headed to Washington D.C.
Massachusetts progressive Senator Elizabeth Warren met with the group of runaway Texas lawmakers at the Capitol on Wednesday
The lawmakers fleeing D.C. on two private jets chartered at $100,000 resulted in the remaining State House members on Tuesday voting 76-4 to arrest the runaways once they step foot back in Texas
The lawmakers fleeing D.C. on two private jets chartered at $100,000 resulted in the remaining State House members on Tuesday voting 76-4 to arrest the runaways once they step foot back in Texas.
The 60 Democratic lawmakers from the Lone Star State fled Austin to D.C. on Monday evening in order to break a quorum and block the Texas State House from passing new voting rights legislation.
'Members, a sergeant-at-arms and any officer appointed by him are directed to send for all absentees whose attendance is not excused for the purpose of securing and maintaining their attendance under warrant of arrest if necessary,' Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan announced from the State House floor after the vote on Tuesday.
Texas House rules allow the sergeant-at-arms to arrest members who are not present at the Capitol for a vote – and the show of disapproval Tuesday could result in the lawmakers' arrest when they land back in the Lone Star State.
The Tuesday vote, however, doesn't hold much weight as long as the Democrats remain in Washington since by crossing state lines they have escaped jurisdiction of Texas law enforcement.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, however, can continue calling 30-day special sessions until a quorum is reached.
The few dozen state lawmakers maintain that they aren't afraid of Governor Greg Abbott's threats to arrest them for fleeing the state to break a quorum and avoid voting on Republicans ' election legislation.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Philadelphia on Tuesday that Vice President Kamala Harris will meet with the group of lawmakers sometime this week.
It is not immediately clear if President Joe Biden plans to meet with them, but Jean-Pierre said when asked if he supports their decision: 'He applauds their courage.'
The Texas State House adjourned on Tuesday morning. The remaining lawmakers – mostly Republican – voted 76-4 to arrest Democrat members who broke the quorum by fleeing to Washington D.C.
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