Texas Lawyer Basic Ken Paxton (R) is asking an Illinois court docket to implement arrest warrants towards Democrats who fled to the Prairie State over GOP efforts to redraw Texas’s congressional maps.
On Monday, the Texas Home permitted arrest warrants for Democratic state lawmakers who state troopers can find. Nevertheless, these warrants are solely enforceable inside Texas.
Paxton’s petition to Illinois’s eighth Judicial Circuit Court docket asks for the “enforcement of the rule of law in Illinois, the assistance of Illinois law enforcement officials, and this Court’s assistance, to lawfully return to Texas the Respondent legislators who fled to Illinois to evade their duties to participate in the ongoing Special Session of the Texas Legislature.”
The Democrats fled the state Sunday to disclaim the GOP a legislative quorum in an effort to forestall the redrawing of Texas’s congressional maps. President Trump is aiming to select up 5 seats there forward of the 2026 midterm elections.
Paxton’s request comes after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) stated earlier Thursday that the FBI is “tracking down” Democratic state lawmakers who fled.
“Texas DPS and the FBI are tracking down the derelict Democrats. They will be taken directly to the Texas Capitol,” Abbott wrote on the social platform X.
“Those who received benefits for skipping a vote face removal from office and potential bribery charges,” he continued. “In Texas, there are consequences for your actions.”
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) additionally on Thursday stated the FBI had permitted his request for them to assist regulation enforcement businesses monitor down the Democrats.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) stated Sunday that his state would defend Texas Democrats who fled to his state.
“They’re here in Illinois. We’re going to do everything we can to protect every single one of them and make sure that — because we know they’re doing the right thing, we know that they’re following the law,” Pritzker instructed reporters at a press convention Sunday night time held alongside the Texas state lawmakers.
“It’s Ken Paxton who doesn’t follow the law. It’s the leaders of Texas who are attempting not to follow the law,” he continued, calling out Texas’s Republican lawyer basic by identify. “They’re the ones that need to be held accountable.”
