Texas governor vows to defund state legislature after Democrats blocked voting restrictions bill

Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, threatened to veto funding for the state legislature Monday after Democrats blocked a controversial voting restrictions bill brought by the GOP. Abbott had said he would sign the bill into law, but state House Democrats prevented it from passing by walking out late Sunday night and denying the chamber a quorum ahead of a midnight deadline.

The state constitution allows Abbott to veto certain items in bills, giving him the power to remove the funding for the legislature in the state budget. "I will veto Article 10 of the budget passed by the legislature. Article 10 funds the legislative branch. No pay for those who abandon their responsibilities. Stay tuned," Abbott tweeted on Monday.