Dem abruptly leaves press call after being informed she is committing felony

Texas Democratic state Rep. Nicole Collier had to abruptly leave a call with California Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democratic Party members after she claimed she was told she was committing a felony by participating in the meeting from a state Capitol bathroom. 

Collier was speaking on a call with Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin, Newsom and several others while the Texas House of Representatives was simultaneously debating a redistricting bill backed by President Donald Trump. 

While speaking on the call, Collier claimed that the Texas redistricting bill violates the Voting Rights Act and “will prevent black and brown individuals from selecting the candidates of their choice because they’re cracking and packing these districts.”

While Martin was speaking about 30 minutes into the call, Collier suddenly interrupted, saying, “Sorry, I have to leave. They said it’s a felony for me to do this.” 

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Democratic Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier speaking on the House floor on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, in Austin. (Texas Rep. Gene Wu via AP)

“Apparently I can’t be on the floor or in the bathroom,” she continued, before turning to address someone off camera. 

“You told me I was only allowed to be here in the bathroom,” she said to the person off camera, before turning back to the call and saying, “No, hang on, bye everybody, I’ve got to go.” 

Both Newsom and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., immediately expressed outrage over Collier’s sudden departure. 

“That is outrageous,” said Booker, adding, “Let me tell you something, Rep. Collier in the bathroom has more dignity than Donald Trump in the Oval Office.” 

“There you go,” Newsom responded, nodding his head. 

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Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., speaks during a livestreamed sit-in against the GOP funding plan on the steps of the House of Representatives on April 27, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Pete Marovich/Getty Images)

“What they’re trying to do right there is silence an American leader, silence a black woman, and that is outrageous,” Booker went on. “What we just witnessed, them trying to shut her down and saying it’s illegal for her to be in the bathroom and on this call, this is the lengths that they’re going to in Texas.” 

This comes after dozens of Democratic members of the Texas House fled the state and refused to return to the legislature for two weeks to hold up the redistricting bill by breaking quorum. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and other state leaders ordered the rogue Democrats to be arrested and threatened to have them removed from office if they did not return to fulfill their duties.  

Following the Democrats’ return to the legislature, members faced heightened security measures designed to ensure a quorum was maintained. 

Democratic lawmakers said Texas Department of Public Safety officers followed them around Monday at the state Capitol and either guarded their offices or stayed in them, and tailed them when they left. They said they had to sign “permission slips” and accept the surveillance to leave the building.

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Democratic Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier speaking on the House floor on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, in Austin. (Texas Rep. Gene Wu via AP)

Rather than comply with the measures, Collier stayed on the House floor in the Texas Capitol on Monday night and Tuesday.

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Despite the Democrats’ standoff, the Texas House finally approved it on Wednesday. 

Newsom announced he would advance a redistricting map in California to counter the Texas redistricting bill. On Friday, California Democrats and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) released a new district map that would likely eliminate five GOP congressional seats, theoretically nullifying the five additional seats Republicans would gain if Texas’ redistricting push is successful.

Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Burrows, Booker and Newsom but did not immediately receive a response. 

Collier’s office declined to comment, citing the House still being in session. 

Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.