Texas Dem who fled state went to Portugal to get married

One of the Texas lawmakers who fled the state in order to avoid voting on a controversial election integrity bill confirmed that she also traveled to Portugal.

Rep. Jessica Gonzalez addressed the controversy for the first time Tuesday in a statement to The Dallas Morning News, confirming she traveled to Portugal to get married on Aug. 7 and didn’t address reports at the time due to privacy concerns.

“We all say family comes first,” Gonzalez, who married her fiancée Angela Hale, said in the statement. “That value should apply to all families, including mine. I made the decision not to share where I was so that my wife and I could get married in privacy. I wanted us to have this special day, surrounded by a few of our friends and loved ones.”

Gonzalez said she returned to the United States from Portugal on Aug. 11.

Gonzalez was criticized by Republicans in her state as well as on social media for traveling to Portugal while her Democratic colleagues were supposed to be in Texas voting on a Republican bill aimed at combating voter fraud.

At the time, Gonzales declined to confirm or deny whether reports of her traveling to Portugal and said via text message, “No one has shown proof.” – READ MORE