Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) took steps on Tuesday to collaborate with the FBI in locating and investigating several Texas Democrats who have left the state, aiming to disrupt Republican-led changes to district boundaries.
In light of the upcoming challenge to the Senate seat currently held by Attorney General Ken Paxton, Cornyn made a formal request in a letter addressed to FBI director Kash Patel.
He noted that some of the absent Democrats might be in other states, including places like Illinois and New York.
“These state lawmakers are currently outside of Texas, so the Texas Department of Public Safety may require assistance in apprehending them,” the senator stated.
“We are seeking help from the FBI, as we need federal resources to track down Texas legislators who could possibly be violating the law,” he added. “The FBI possesses tools that enable them to support state law enforcement when issues cross state lines.”
Cornyn expressed concern about legislators who might have gathered funds to assist their flight from legislative duties, suggesting this could lead to bribery or other forms of public corruption.
He emphasized that his request was “time sensitive,” given that the Texas Legislature has only about two weeks left in the special session to address the flood rescue bill and legislative mapping.
The FBI has chosen not to comment on the matter.
Due to the absence of several Democrats, the Texas House has been unable to achieve the quorum necessary to consider critical district change proposals and other legislative actions.
Cornyn’s letter followed an order from Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott, who directed state officials on Monday to “arrest” a Texas House Democrat and ensure their return to Austin to participate in the special session.
Governor Abbott also instructed the Texas Rangers to conduct an immediate investigation into Democrats leaving the state, focusing on potential bribery and legal breaches related to their quorum absence.
He indicated that the investigation may also extend to individuals who have provided support related to these potential offenses.
“As we speak, the Texas Department of Public Safety is actively searching for those Democrats to take them back to the Capitol and hold them until a quorum is reached,” he mentioned during a Fox News interview.
Abbott hasn’t clarified how many Democrats are still out of state, but reports suggest that authorities are collaborating with officials from other states to facilitate their return.
The governor plans to pursue action against Congress Democrats who he claims received financial support to leave Texas.
“It appears that some Democrats might be aware of payments being made to facilitate their departure or influence voting,” Abbott conveyed during an interview on “The Will Cain Show.”
“This potentially creates legal grounds for Democrats who have abandoned or fled from their responsibilities,” he continued. “We’ll aim to remove them from office and organize elections for their replacements.”
Texas Speakers Dustin Burrows and Paxton have set a Friday deadline for the absconding Democrats to present themselves at the Capitol before a “judicial order” is initiated.
“Texans elected lawmakers who should not be abandoning their responsibilities for cheap publicity,” Paxton stated on X.
The deadline arrived after the Texas House failed to achieve quorum once more on Thursday afternoon.
