FBI Assists Texas in Locating Democrats Who Fled
On Thursday, R-Texas Senator John Cornyn announced that the FBI has agreed to assist federal agents in locating Texas Democrats who left the state to disrupt GOP rezoning efforts.
According to Cornyn, the FBI will help local law enforcement find those Texas House members who “fled the state in a disgraceful attempt to obstruct the legislative process.” He stated, “I’m proud to announce that Coach Kash Patel has approved my request to the FBI to help state and local law enforcement find a runaway Texas House Democrat.” Cornyn mentioned that both President Trump and Director Patel appreciate the federal government’s commitment to holding these lawmakers accountable.
Democratic Governors Oppose FBI’s Actions
The FBI declined to comment to Fox News Digital on this matter.
Earlier this month, over 50 Texas Democrats left the state, with at least 100 of the 150 members required to maintain a quorum in the Texas House. Democratic governors, including JB Pritzker of Illinois and Gavin Newsom of California, have come to the defense of these Democrats, framing their actions as a battle for democracy.
Cornyn wrote to FBI Director Kash Patel earlier this week, urging the bureau to track down or apprehend those “potential law violators” who are evading their legislative duties. He expressed concern that these legislators may be accepting funds to support their evasion efforts, which could be classified as bribery or public corruption.
“The out-of-state leaders have publicly claimed to protect Texas legislators currently hiding from accountability,” Cornyn noted. He emphasized the need for federal resources to locate these legislators, acknowledging the limitations of state law enforcement in such instances.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has called a special session to advance plans for a redistricting proposal that would add five new Republican-leaning House seats in the upcoming midterms. Additionally, Abbott has filed an emergency petition with the state Supreme Court seeking to remove state Rep. Jean Wu, whom he labeled as the “ringleader” of the fleeing Democrats.
In a separate move, Texas Republicans have initiated proceedings for a civil arrest warrant and a daily fine of $500 for a Democrat who abandoned their responsibilities.
