U.S. Senator John Cornyn of Texas says the Federal Bureau of Investigation has approved his request for assistance in locating Democrat members of the Texas House of Representatives who recently fled the state to obstruct a vote on congressional redistricting and stall the legislative process.
“In a representative democracy, we resolve our differences by debating and voting, not by running away,” Cornyn stated.
On Thursday, Cornyn stated that FBI Director Kash Patel granted his request for the federal government to assist state and local law enforcement in holding the Texas House members accountable for violating their oath of office.
“We cannot allow these rogue legislators to avoid their constitutional responsibilities,” Cornyn said.
The redistricting plan redraws Texas’ U.S. House districts to increase the Republican majority, allowing the GOP to potentially gain five new seats in Congress.
Earlier this week, Cornyn submitted a letter to Patel seeking federal cooperation with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and state and local law enforcement to “investigate potential criminal acts, including bribery, and hold accountable legislators who have fled the state in a shameful attempt to stall the legislative process in the Texas House of Representatives.”
Following up on the FBI’s involvement and explaining the consequences of the Representatives leaving the state, Gov. Greg Abbott said in a post on X on Thursday that “Texas DPS and the FBI are tracking down the derelict Democrats. They will be taken directly to the Texas Capitol. Those who received benefits for skipping a vote face removal from office and potential bribery charges. In Texas, there are consequences for your actions.”
Meanwhile, Attorney General Ken Paxton and House Speaker Dustin Burrows have initiated legal action to have Texas arrest warrants enforced in Illinois in an effort to bring the Democrats back.
