On Thursday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) claimed that the FBI was “tracking” Democratic lawmakers who left the state, aiming to bring them back to the Capitol.
Abbott stated, “The Texas DPS and the FBI are tracking down deceased Democrats. They’ll be taken directly to the Texas Capitol.” He shared his thoughts on X.
“Those who benefited from removing ballot faces and evading potential bribery charges should know that in Texas, your actions have consequences,” he added.
Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) also mentioned that the FBI had approved his request to assist local law enforcement in tracking down these Democrats.
However, the FBI did not comment on Cornyn’s remarks or give any clarity regarding their involvement with the Republicans.
There remains uncertainty about what level of support, if any, the FBI agreed to provide to the Texas GOP.
Experts voiced skepticism over the FBI’s jurisdiction in this matter. Richard Painter, a former deputy counsel in the White House under President George W. Bush, expressed doubt, saying, “I don’t understand why the FBI is involved in this. It’s Texas politics, and the FBI should not be enforcing Texas law.”
He further pointed out, “The only violation I see in Texas, Illinois, and other states involves voting rights. I believe gerrymandering breaches those rights, yet the U.S. Supreme Court seems disinterested in acting on it,” referring to a 2019 ruling that indicated gerrymandering is beyond federal court oversight.
The GOP’s push for FBI involvement has provoked strong responses from Democrats.
Representative Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) remarked, “The FBI has no legal authority to track Democrats in their homes. The list of individuals willing to misuse power to support Trump’s attempt to steal five congressional seats is growing. This poses a threat to our democracy and the rule of law.” Castro previously impacted Texas GOP’s mid-decade redistricting in 2003, defeating a quorum.
