Texas Secession Petition Ignored by White House
Texas is waiting for President Obama's reaction to a petition demanding it be allowed to secede from the United States. They may have to keep waiting.
Sunday marked the last day for Texas' petition to secede from the union to gather 25,000 digital signatures, the number needed to warrant a response from the White House.
The virtual petition achieved that goal four weeks ago . Now it's up to 119,209, but still no word from the Oval Office.
A White House official told ABC News in November that it would respond to the petition, following a procedure that demands they address any entry to the " We the People " site that rallies the requisite amount of support. On Friday, the White House said they had no prediction for when they might put out at statement.
Even if the White House steps up to the plate this week, it's possible they will dodge the question, opting to excuse themselves by claiming it does not fall within their jurisdiction.
In the days after President Obama was reelected, several states filed petitions seeking independence alongside Texas. And these petitions gained clicks fast .
By mid-November, every state had at least one petition with more than 150 digital vows of support registered with the White House. Some visitors to WhiteHouse.gov started counter-petitions , asking that the president stop states from seceding.
Soon requests for the White House grew crazier and crazier . From nationalizing the Twinkie to ending the NHL lockout, the pressure was on for Obama to wade into pop culture and away from weightier fare.
Unfortunately for hockey and Twinkie fans, the president has stuck to fiscal cliff negotiations and promoting peace in the Middle East. But petition filers in Texas are still waiting to see if the White House will keep its word and comment on the Lone Star state's demands.
UPDATE 6:37 p.m.: Just because the White House has not issued a response does not mean there isn't one coming. The FAQ page says this in answer to the question, "How long will it take for the White House to respond?"
"We will do our best to respond to petitions that cross the signature threshold in a timely fashion," the White House website says, "however, depending on the topic and the overall volume of petitions from We the People, responses may be delayed."
A source at the White House points out many petitions have received responses well after the 30-day deadline.