Expert: Texas secession not legally possible

A petition asking that Texas be allowed to secede from the United States has far surpassed the required number of signatures needed to get the White House to respond to the request.

The petition was created on Nov. 9, and as of Tuesday afternoon, it had more than 80,000 signatures.

Secession supporters say the state’s constitution provides the legal grounds for such a move, but St. Mary’s University history professor Teresa Van Hoy said the supposed justification is merely a legend.

Although, other historic documents leave open the possibility of dividing the Lone Star State.

“The annexation documents don’t authorize Texas, at all, the right to secede,” she said. “It was legally possible … to carve Texas into four states.”

Tourists visiting the Alamo said losing one of the country’s largest economies would be a huge financial blow to the federal government.

West Virginia resident Mick Stoehr said Texas secession would also negatively impact his favorite sports teams.

“I don’t want to see Texas go,” he said. “I'm from West Virginia. We just joined the Big 12.”