Jasmine Crockett FINDING

TX-Sen Red Box Backup (1/21/26) 

STATEMENT 
When MAGA Republican’s needed to 
pass voter suppression laws, they cut 
a deal with James Talarico to get 
them passed.  

1 

BACKUP 

Texas Tribune: “Texas House Democrats flee the state in move that could block voting restrictions bill, bring 
Legislature to a halt”  
“Democrats in the Texas House of Representatives left the state Monday afternoon en route to Washington, D.C., in a bid to again 
deny Republicans the quorum needed to pass new voting restrictions with 26 days left in a special legislative session called 
largely for that purpose. Upping the ante in both the legislative fight at home and the national debate over voting rights, most 
House Democrats boarded two planes out of Austin headed for the U.S. capital without a set return date. At least 51 of the 67 
Democratic representatives — the number needed to break quorum — were in the process of leaving Monday afternoon, most 
arriving at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Monday to board chartered flights that departed around 3:10 p.m. The House is 
set to reconvene Tuesday morning, but the absent Democrats would mean there will not be enough members present to conduct 
business under House rules.” [Texas Tribune, 7/12/21] 

July 2021: Democratic Leaders Issued Joint Statement Touting the Unity of Democrats in Fighting for Voting 
Rights & Preventing the Special Session Efforts to Roll Them Back By Blocking a Quorum 
“Today, Texas House Democrats stand united in our decision to break quorum and refuse to let the Republican-led legislature 
force through dangerous legislation that would trample on Texans’ freedom to vote,” Democratic leaders said in a joint statement 
released Monday.”  [Texas Tribune, 7/12/21] 

..But Talarico Was One of a Handful of Democrats to Return & Bring the House Closer to a Quorum in a Second 
Special Session Called by Gov. Abbott 
“Some of the Texas House Democrats who are still in Washington, D.C., did not hold back Monday as they watched more of their 
colleagues return to Austin and bring the chamber within single digits of a quorum. “you all threw us under the bus today! Why?” 
Rep. Ana-Maria Ramos of Dallas said in a tweet addressed to three of her Democratic colleagues who came back to Austin. The 
House had as many as 95 members on hand at one point Monday afternoon, five members short of quorum but the nearest the 
chamber has gotten to being able to start business since most Democrats fled last month over the Republican elections bill. It was 
the third day of the second special session, and the GOP-led House again issued a “call of the House,” a procedural move to lock 
the doors of the chamber and prevent members from leaving without permission. The 95 members who were present included at 
least four new Democrats: El Paso–area state Reps. Art Fierro, Mary González and Joe Moody, as well as state Rep. James Talarico 
of Round Rock… Talarico was the most open about his return, announcing it on Twitter and issuing a statement explaining his 
decision, saying he was coming back to work on “real issues Texans face” after a productive time in Washington… While the 

 
quorum-busting Democrats were able to maintain a largely united front during the first special session, which ended Friday, it 
was clear they reached a fork in the road when the second special session began a day later. A group of them released a 
statement saying that 26 House Democrats would be staying behind in Washington to keep up their fight to pass federal voting 
rights legislation in Congress.” [Texas Tribune, 8/09/21] 

Image of Talarico Speaking on the House Floor August 9, 2021 

https://www.texastribune.org/2021/08/09/texas-democrats-legislature-return/  

Democratic Lawmakers Criticized Talarico for Helping Republicans Pass “Anti-Voter” Bills 
In August 2021, after Texas Democrats left the state to prevent Republicans from enacting voting legislation, Talarico and other 
Democrats were criticized for returning to the state capitol. Talarico’s return helped the House reaching quorum, allowing 
Republicans to pass the legislation. “You all threw us under the bus today!” Democratic Rep. Ana-Maria Ramos tweeted at Talarico 
and two other democrats. “Why?” Another social media post from Ramos stated Talarico was “one of those Texas Dems who 
showed up at the Capitol to help Republicans pass anti-voter bills.” “@jamestalarico was in DC 2 days ago with Dems and showed 
up in Austin with Republicans,” Ramos stated. [Austin American-Statesman, 8/11/21; Newstex Blogs, 8/10/21] 

Democratic Lawmaker Claimed Talarico Stayed “Silent” Instead of Getting a Record of the Roll Call 

2 

 
In August 2021, Democratic Rep. Ana-Maria Ramos stated she asked several Democratic lawmakers, including Talarico, to request 
a verification of roll call to reestablish quorum but Talarico stayed “silent.” “Ramos said she’d asked several Democrats on the 
House floor, including Talarico and John Turner of Dallas, to request that verification, but no one did,” the Houston Defender 
reported. “The only way to help our efforts if you’re going to show up is to call that out,” Ramos stated. “Why be silent on 
something so obvious?” In response, Talarico claimed: “I confirmed with the House parliamentarian yesterday that a quorum 
would be verified through a record registration vote because the public has a right to know that information,” he stated. “A strict 
enforcement vote is not necessary to verify that 99 members of the House have agreed to reestablish quorum.” [Houston 
Defender, 8/23/21] 

Amid Talarico’s Return, Crockett Criticized Him & Other Democrats Who Broke Ranks as She & Most of the Other 
Democrats Continued Fighting 
When Talarico returned, “The House met hours after a state district judge in Travis County issued an order blocking the arrest of 
House Democrats who broke quorum by leaving the state. The Democrats who remain in Washington cited that order Monday 
afternoon as they criticized their colleagues who left the nation’s capital. “I’ve said this before… it’s a Team Sport… now we see 
who plays what positions on the Team,” state Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas tweeted. “The fact that some of us secured a 
Temporary Restraining Order to protect ALL of us, yet some are trying to please the Governor and His OPPRESSIVE Agenda?! JUST 
WOW!”” [Texas Tribune, 8/09/21] 

Talarico Said He Defected from Quorum-breaking Group to Resume “Negotiating Policy” 
In 2021, after Talarico returned to the statehouse after breaking quorum over an election bill, Talarico wrote an op-ed that stated 
he returned to the Texas House to begin the work of “rebuilding relationships, negotiating policy, and reducing harm.” “Given 
this success and recognizing that we can’t break quorum indefinitely, some of my fellow quorum breakers and I returned to the 
Texas House to begin the work of rebuilding relationships, negotiating policy, and reducing harm,” Talarico stated in the op-ed. 
“Harm reduction is not sexy or glamorous. It doesn’t make for good Tweets or lucrative fundraising emails, but it’s necessary 
work.” [Houston Defender, 9/13/21] 

Democratic Efforts Worked, Blocking the Bill, Until Some “Broke Ranks” And Returned, Allowing Republicans to 
Resume Session & Pass the Bill 
“A standoff in Texas over new voting restrictions that gridlocked the state Capitol for 38 consecutive days ended Thursday when 
some Democrats who fled to Washington, D.C., dropped their holdout, paving the way for Republicans to resume pushing an 
elections overhaul. It abruptly and messily drew to a close one of the few — and lengthiest — quorum breaks in modern Texas 
history. Instead of a unified and celebratory return by Democrats, some members lashed out at their colleagues over what they 
criticized as breaking ranks. Many of the proposed changes to Texas voting that Democrats have railed against for months remain 

3 

in a bill that already passed the state Senate, and Republican Gov. Greg Abbott could now sign the legislation in a matter of 
weeks, if not sooner.” [NPR, 8/19/21] 

Politico Headline: “Dem darling showered with Miriam Adelson-linked money” 
In 2025, Politico reported, “Texas Democrat James Talarico has built a national profile railing against GOP billionaires in politics — 
but has quietly accepted funds from a PAC backed by one of the wealthiest donors in the Republican Party. The single biggest 
donor to Talarico’s state House reelection bid last year was a group funded by casino mogul Miriam Adelson, according to state 
campaign finance data. Adelson, the widow of the late Republican megadonor Sheldon Adelson, is one of President Donald 
Trump’s largest financial supporters and seen as a boogeyman by much of the left. Talarico is now considering a run for Senate, 
which would test whether such ties are a vulnerability at a time when liberal voters say they want Democrats to aggressively take 
on Trump. Talarico received a total of $59,000 from the Texas Sands PAC through donations in February and December of 2024, 
according to state campaign finance records. That makes the group both his biggest donor last year and one of his largest since 
he first ran for the state legislature in 2018. “ [Politico, 8/21/25] 

Talarico Called on a Democrat to Refuse Republican Contributions, But the Next Day Accepted $50,000 from 
Miriam Adelson, a Well-Known Trump Mega-Donor 
“Stories in a couple of national media outlets recently tried to paint rising young Texas Democratic star James Talarico as a 
hypocrite, saying he has slammed the role of billionaires in funding Texas politicians, but himself accepted $59,000 from a PAC 
associated with a prominent Republican billionaire. That billionaire, Miriam Adelson, was a leading funder of President Donald 
Trump’s 2024 campaign… In the closing weeks of that election a group of ten Democratic elected officials from Travis County, led 
by Congressman Greg Casar, sent Sylestine a public letter… Among other things, that means that Talarico and his elected allies 
sought to create a new standard for Democratic office seekers in Travis County; it is unacceptable to take contributions “from 
wealthy individuals who have supported Republicans like Donald Trump, Nikki Haley and Ted Cruz.” They demanded that Garza’s 
opponent “renounce” such contributions and support… It seems logical to conclude that the ten office holders would hold 
themselves to the standard they demanded of Sylestine. At least with Talarico that was not the case. And it’s not like so much time 
went by that Talarico just forgot about the new rule he and his buddies made up. The letter from the ten officials was dated 
February 21, 2024. The very next day Talarico accepted two contributions totaling $54,500 from the Texas Sands 
PAC. That PAC is affiliated with Miriam Adelson, the widow of Sheldon Adelson – who was a Las Vegas casino magnate and huge 
Republican donor. Adelson is also the owner of the Dallas Mavericks. Her core interest in the Texas Legislature is winning 
approval for legalized gambling in the state.” [Austin Independent, 9/03/25] 

Talarico Accepted $59,000 from Pro-Gambling PAC Funded by Billionaire Miriam Adelson, $54,500 on 2/22/24 

It’s no wonder that a right wing 
billionaire is a top donor to both 
Talarico and Trump. 

4 

 
 
In November 2025, the Texas Tribune reported that during Talarico’s 2024 reelection campaign for the Texas House, Talarico 
accepted $59,000 from Texas Sands PAC, a pro-gambling group funded by the billionaire and casino magnate Miriam Adelson. 
[Texas Tribune, 11/14/25; Dallas Observer, 10/13/25] 

Trump Megadonor’s Texas Sands PAC Contributed $59,000 to Talarico 

Contributor  
TEXAS SANDS PAC 
TEXAS SANDS PAC 
TEXAS SANDS PAC 
[National Institute on Money in Politics, accessed 1/02/26] 

Specific Business 
CASINOS, RACETRACKS & GAMBLING 
CASINOS, RACETRACKS & GAMBLING 
CASINOS, RACETRACKS & GAMBLING 

Amount 
$50,000  
$4,500  
$4,500  

Date 
2/22/24 
12/11/24 
2/22/24 

Trump Said Miriam Adelson Offered Him $250 Million to Run for an Illegal Third Term 
In 2025, Forbes reported, “President Donald Trump said billionaire Miriam Adelson offered him $250 million to run for a third 
term after the Republican megadonor mentioned “four more years” for him at the White House’s Hanukkah reception on Tuesday 
night, something the president and his allies have frequently hinted at despite the Constitution’s 22nd Amendment disallowing 
a third presidential term.” [Forbes, 12/17/25] 

Miriam Adelson Gave $100 Million to a Pro-Trump Super PAC, Topping Even Elon Musk’s Contributions in the 
Closing Months of the 2024 Election 
“Miriam Adelson has delivered on a pledge she reportedly made at the start of the general election season, donating $100 
million to a campaign committee supporting the candidacy of Donald Trump, according to disclosures filed Tuesday with the 
Federal Election Commission. The money was distributed to Adelson’s super PAC, Preserve America, which she had seeded earlier 
this year with $5 million, in a series of installments: $25 million a month in July, August and September and an additional $20 
million at the end of September… Her contribution was the largest in an array of new big money disclosures on Tuesday, 
eclipsing the $75 million contributed by Elon Musk, the world’s richest person and head of Tesla and SpaceX, to his own pro-
Trump super PAC (political action committee).” [Times of Israel, 10/17/24] 

5

SKIP NAVIGATION MENU
HOME
ABOUT
WHY I'M RUNNING
ISSUES
STORE
JOIN OUR MOVEMENT
CONTACT
English
DONATE
What Voters Need To Know

Spanish speaking voters need to hear radio ads in the RGV, San Antonio and El Paso that there is no Democrat who Donald Trump fears more than Jasmine Crockett. She has called out and stepped up to fight MAGA republicans and their racism, government overreach and corruption. We need leaders who fight, not cut deals. When MAGA Republican’s needed to pass voter suppression laws, they cut a deal with James Talarico to get them passed. It’s no wonder that a right wing billionaire is the top donor to both Talarico and Trump.

Latino voters need to see digital video ads, including on mobile devices, in their preferred language that there is no Democrat who Donald Trump fears more than Jasmine Crockett. She has called out and stepped up to fight MAGA republicans and their racism, government overreach and corruption. They also need to know that we need leaders who fight, not cut deals. When MAGA Republican’s needed to pass voter suppression laws, they cut a deal with James Talarico to get them passed. It’s no wonder that a right wing billionaire is the top donor to both Talarico and Trump.

More info can be found here.

TERMS OF SERVICE
WHAT VOTERS NEED TO KNOW

Make Checks Payable To: FIRE PAC, PO Box 227235, Dallas, TX 75222

Powered by RUN! website builder

Paid for by Jasmine for Texas Inc.

[hidden/DOM-only content]
Skip navigation menu
Home
About
Why I'm Running
Issues
Store
Join Our Movement
Contact
Donate
More info can be found
here
.
Terms of Service
Powered by
RUN! website builder