The move to flee Texas temporarily blocks the House from voting on a proposed redraw of the state’s congressional map.
Just hours after more than 50 Texas House Democrats fled the state to block a redistricting vote, Texas House leadership and Gov. Greg Abbott escalated efforts to force them back, authorizing civil arrest warrants and calling for an investigation into possible bribery.
On Monday, the Texas House voted 85 to 6 to issue civil warrants targeting absent Democratic members who broke quorum. House Speaker Dustin Burrows signed the warrants after a motion for a “call of the House” was approved. “If you choose to continue down this road, you should know—there will be consequences,” Burrows said from the House floor. “They've left the state, abandoned their posts, and turned their backs on the constituents they swore to protect.”“Members, a quorum is not present,” Burrows announced. The move to flee Texas temporarily blocks the House from voting on a proposed redraw of the state’s congressional map, one backed by Abbott and President Donald Trump. The new map could give Republicans five additional U.S. House seats in the 2026 midterm elections.“There's nothing that Texas law enforcement can do to compel these representatives to return to Texas and go to the House floor,” said Mark Jones, political science professor at Rice University. Most of the Democratic lawmakers have traveled to states like Illinois, New York, and Massachusetts, placing them beyond the jurisdiction of Texas authorities. Still, Abbott is pushing ahead. On Monday, he directed the Texas Rangers to open an investigation into whether Democratic members violated state bribery laws by soliciting or receiving financial support while intentionally avoiding legislative duties. “I ordered the Texas Rangers to immediately investigate fleeing Texas House Democrats for potential bribery and any other potential legal violations connected to their refusal to appear for a quorum,” Abbott said in a statement.ALSO| Governor Abbott orders arrest of absent Texas House Democrats Outside the Governor’s Mansion Monday afternoon, U.S. Rep. Greg Casar led more than 100 people in a protest against the redistricting plan. “Texas Governor Greg Abbott is a coward, and it's no surprise that he is taking our law enforcement and turning them on our elected officials,” Casar said.Casar accused Republicans of trying to dilute minority voting power by dismantling existing congressional districts in areas like Austin, Houston, and Dallas.Democrats say the proposed map unfairly benefits the GOP by breaking apart diverse districts and silencing the voices of Black and Latino voters. The new map could shift up to five currently competitive seats into safe Republican territory.“What he's looking for is anything he can use to scare them,” Doggett said. “He has no basis for taking any action against them because they have a constitutional right to do this, to say that they're serving their constituents best by not being a part of the shenanigans he's engaged in here.” Many protestors voiced frustration that redistricting has taken center stage during the special session, rather than recovery efforts from the deadly floods that devastated the Hill Country one month ago.“Getting money and help to the people out in Kerr County and the other places it's flooded, but the only thing that's been happening is redistricting.” Experts say the arrest warrants are unlikely to be enforced unless Democrats return to Texas voluntarily, and even then, only within the constraints of House rules. “This is the governor using the limited tools at his disposal to try to show both that he's doing something... and potentially to ratchet up the pressure on them,” said Jones. Each absent member is now subject to a $500 fine per day until a quorum is restored. Democrats are expected to return for the next special session, when the redistricting vote could be reintroduced.
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Amid redistricting protest, Abbott orders arrests and bribery probe of House DemocratsJust hours after more than 50 Texas House Democrats fled the state to block a redistricting vote, Texas House leadership and Governor Greg Abbott escalated effo
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Amid redistricting protest, Abbott orders arrests and bribery probe of House DemocratsThe move to flee Texas temporarily blocks the House from voting on a proposed redraw of the state’s congressional map.
Read more »
Amid redistricting protest, Abbott orders arrests and bribery probe of House DemocratsThe move to flee Texas temporarily blocks the House from voting on a proposed redraw of the state’s congressional map.
Read more »