The Republicans then held a vote on SB5, while Democrats held up their phones, declaring that it was past midnight.
Official records showed that the vote had happened after midnight, when the Senate could no longer vote… at least, for 9 minutes. Then they went temporarily offline and were doctored to claim that the vote had happened before midnight instead.
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The Senators then had a private meeting, and Texas Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst eventually announced that he had not had time to sign the bill before the midnight deadline. He blamed the “unruly mob” of spectators for the distraction.