Joan Esposito is joined by Kendall Scudder, chair of the Texas Democratic Party.

Scudder discussed the ongoing effort of Democratic Texas state legislators to block passage of a Republican congressional map designed to give the GOP five additional U.S. House seats in the 2026 midterms. By leaving the state, the Texas lawmakers, many of whom have come to Illinois, have denied quorum to the Republican-controlled chamber and brought the legislature's 30-day special session to a halt.

“For a decade,” Scudder told Esposito, “Democrats have been campaigning saying that we are the great defenders of democracy, and today is the day for us to act like it. You don't get to do that for 10 years, and then, when a moment like this happens, cower and walk away.”

The legislators, who are paid a base salary of just $7,200 annually and face $500-a-day fines for leaving the state during session, are seeking financial support through a redistricting defense fund (visit https://secure.actblue.com/donate/tdp_redistricting).

“They all have other jobs, they have families, and they are away from all of those things,” Scudder said. “They still have mortgages. Their mortgages don't get to break quorum. . . . But they know that this attempt to steal members of Congress from the electorate so that the president can avoid accountability for trying to privatize Social Security, gouging Medicare and Medicaid, passing the largest tax increase on working families in our lifetime [is] unconscionable.”

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

Joan Esposito is joined by Kendall Scudder, chair of the <a href="https://www.texasdemocrats.org/splash">Texas Democratic Party</a>.
Scudder discussed the ongoing effort of Democratic Texas state legislators to block passage of a Republican congressional map designed to give the GOP five additional U.S. House seats in the 2026 midterms. By leaving the state, the Texas lawmakers, many of whom have come to Illinois, have denied quorum to the Republican-controlled chamber and brought the legislature's 30-day special session to a halt.
&ldquo;For a decade,&rdquo; Scudder told Esposito, &ldquo;Democrats have been campaigning saying that we are the great defenders of democracy, and today is the day for us to act like it. You don't get to do that for 10 years, and then, when a moment like this happens, cower and walk away.&rdquo;
The legislators, who are paid a base salary of just $7,200 annually and face $500-a-day fines for leaving the state during session, are seeking financial support through a <a href="https://secure.actblue.com/donate/tdp_redistricting">redistricting defense fund</a> (visit <a href="https://secure.actblue.com/donate/tdp_redistricting">https://secure.actblue.com/donate/tdp_redistricting</a>).
&ldquo;They all have other jobs, they have families, and they are away from all of those things,&rdquo; Scudder said. &ldquo;They still have mortgages. Their mortgages don't get to break quorum. . . . But they know that this attempt to steal members of Congress from the electorate so that the president can avoid accountability for trying to privatize Social Security, gouging Medicare and Medicaid, passing the largest tax increase on working families in our lifetime [is] unconscionable.&rdquo;
Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (<a href="http://heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive">heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive</a>).
And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2yqdk3eg4GZzkuV3dxkrce">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/driving-it-home-full-episodes/id1772728749">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Joan-Esposito-(Full-Episodes)-p4553843/">TuneIn</a>, <a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1300-joan-esposito-full-episod-224680480/">iHeartRadio</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLquOHBYhhrLPSPl6zwW-_zH6q0Tng18S3">YouTube</a>, and <a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3511174e-20b7-400f-badb-40862505c17a/joan-esposito-full-episodes">Amazon</a>.

Here are full episodes of "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" (weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT Chicago), a topical and interactive talk show from Chicago that focuses on national, state and city politics.  

A veteran Chicago broadcaster, Joan talks to politicians and professors, activists and authors, candidates and correspondents, as well as listeners who call in to share their views on the news of the day. Her goal is to Edify, Entertain and Elect — Democrats, of course.    

Joan Esposito has hosted WCPT's afternoon show since 2019. Prior to that she spent 20 years as a Chicago television anchor and reporter for WGN Channel 9, ABC7 and NBC5, and had a stint as managing partner at media trainer J2SC.  Joan is a long-time member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). 

Here are full episodes of "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" (weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on <a href="https://heartlandsignal.com/wcpt820/">WCPT Chicago</a>), a topical and interactive talk show from Chicago that focuses on national, state and city politics.  
A veteran Chicago broadcaster, Joan talks to politicians and professors, activists and authors, candidates and correspondents, as well as listeners who call in to share their views on the news of the day. Her goal is to Edify, Entertain and Elect — Democrats, of course.    
Joan Esposito has hosted WCPT's afternoon show since 2019. Prior to that she spent 20 years as a Chicago television anchor and reporter for WGN Channel 9, ABC7 and NBC5, and had a stint as managing partner at media trainer J2SC.  Joan is a long-time member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).

Joan Esposito (Full Episodes)

"Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" (weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT Chicago) is a topical and interactive talk show from Chicago that focuses on national, state and city politics. A veteran Chicago broadcaster, Joan talks to politicians and professors, activists and authors, candidates and correspondents, as well as listeners who call in to share their views on the news of the day. Her goal is to Edify, Entertain and Elect — Democrats, of course.    

Joan Esposito has hosted WCPT's afternoon show since 2019. Prior to that she spent 20 years as a Chicago television anchor and reporter for WGN Channel 9, ABC7 and NBC5, and had a stint as managing partner at media trainer J2SC.  Joan is a long-time member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). 

"Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" (weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on <a href="https://heartlandsignal.com/wcpt820/">WCPT Chicago</a>) is a topical and interactive talk show from Chicago that focuses on national, state and city politics. A veteran Chicago broadcaster, Joan talks to politicians and professors, activists and authors, candidates and correspondents, as well as listeners who call in to share their views on the news of the day. Her goal is to Edify, Entertain and Elect — Democrats, of course.    
Joan Esposito has hosted WCPT's afternoon show since 2019. Prior to that she spent 20 years as a Chicago television anchor and reporter for WGN Channel 9, ABC7 and NBC5, and had a stint as managing partner at media trainer J2SC.  Joan is a long-time member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).

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