AUSTIN, TEXAS — Rep. Nicole Collier, who heroically spent 48 hours camped out on the Texas House Floor rather than submit to a demeaning “permission slip” and 24-hour surveillance by Texas law enforcement as a condition to leave, was threatened with a criminal charge for speaking to the media and the public today. Collier had joined Governor Gavin Newsom, Senator Cory Booker, DNC Chairman Ken Martin and others on a press call to discuss the racist, corrupt Texas redistricting scheme when, off camera, she was told that she was risking a criminal charge for speaking out.
“In my heart, I just feel like this is wrong — all of it.” said Rep. Nicole Collier. “Over the past month, I have been threatened with fines, surrounded by law enforcement, endured a bomb threat, been confined to the House floor, and now threatened with prosecution simply for telling my constituents the truth. My community is majority-minority, and they sent me here to protect their voices. Republicans are so determined to silence us that they’re willing to lock elected officials in place, monitor our every move, and criminalize our speech — all so they can get exactly what they want without resistance. What a sad, sorry and scary indictment of the state of American democracy in 2025. I refuse to be intimidated into silence. And I hope my stand helps other Americans find their own way to resist this assault on our fundamental rights. Because make no mistake: if we don’t stand together now, they’re coming for us today, and they’ll be coming for you tomorrow.”
During the press conference and shortly after her remarks on the Texas maps, Rep. Collier had the following exchange: “Sorry, I have to leave, they say it's a felony for me to do this. Apparently I can’t be on the floor or in the bathroom…” Rep. Collier is heard saying as she looks off camera to address the person who had been detailed to watch her every move. “No, hang on, goodbye everybody. I have to go.” she finished as she abruptly was forced to end her remarks.
“Rep. Nicole Collier is a duly-elected official whose only ‘crime’ is standing up for her constituents and their voting rights. Her story is resonating so much that Texas Republicans are holding her in the chamber as a political prisoner and trying to suppress her voice,” said DNC Chair Ken Martin. “Her stand against Donald Trump and Texas Republicans as they attempt to rig maps and disenfranchise voters is courageous and Democrats will fight like hell to have her back. What happened today on the press call was an outrage and emblematic of Donald Trump and Greg Abbott’s authoritarian abuse of power.”