Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking action against Democratic lawmakers who recently left the state to avoid a Republican-led effort to redraw congressional districts. Paxton announced that he plans to seek court orders declaring that these legislators have vacated their offices due to their absence.
The situation unfolded when several Texas House Democrats traveled to Illinois in a bid to break quorum and stall the redistricting process. They aimed to delay a vote they believed they could not win. This tactic is not new; Democrats previously attempted a similar strategy in 2021 to protest a Republican-backed election bill.
In a statement shared on social media, Paxton expressed his frustration, saying, “The people of Texas elected lawmakers, not jet-setting runaways looking for headlines. If you don’t show up to work, you get fired.” He emphasized that the Democrats’ refusal to perform their legislative duties constitutes an abandonment of their offices.
Speaker of the Texas House, Dustin Burrows, has given the absent lawmakers a deadline to return by Friday, August 8. Paxton warned that those who do not comply could face legal repercussions. He stated, “Any lawmaker who has not been arrested and returned or fails to appear by the Speaker’s deadline will be subject to aggressive legal action.”
The Attorney General’s office released a statement explaining that the ongoing refusal of these lawmakers to fulfill their responsibilities is a dereliction of duty. Paxton is pursuing judicial relief to ensure that their seats are officially declared vacant if they do not return.
This standoff highlights the ongoing tensions in Texas politics, particularly around issues of redistricting and election laws. As the deadline approaches, all eyes will be on the Democratic lawmakers and whether they will return to Texas to resume their legislative duties.
