Tensions escalated at the Texas Capitol on Thursday night during a redistricting hearing when a Democratic congressional candidate was forcibly removed and arrested.
Isaiah Martin, who is running for Houston’s 18th Congressional District, disregarded warnings to stop speaking after accusing Republicans of manipulating the redistricting process to please former President Donald Trump.
Video from the hearing shows Martin being removed by authorities after collapsing as he was being pulled from the room.
Martin was charged with resisting arrest, criminal trespass, and disrupting a public meeting. However, he was released from Travis County Jail the following day, and all charges were dropped. He later thanked his supporters in a video and promised to continue speaking out.
During his testimony, Martin challenged the legitimacy of the hearing and accused Texas Republicans of gerrymandering at the behest of Trump. He also criticized Texas’ leadership on economic issues, stating that the state has become unaffordable despite Republican control for nearly three decades.
The redistricting process has been controversial, with accusations of unconstitutional racial gerrymandering through “coalition district” configurations. Trump has urged state lawmakers to secure five additional Republican House seats through redistricting.
The redistricting map is still being finalized, with hearings scheduled to continue in Houston and Arlington.
