Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton continued his fight against those Texas House Democrats who have fled the state by filing a lawsuit on Friday to vacate the seats of 13 lawmakers.
Posting on X to announce the lawsuit, Paxton wrote: "I've filed a historic lawsuit against Democrat runaways in SCOTX [the Texas Supreme Court] to secure an order declaring their seats vacant. These cowards deliberately sabotaged the constitutional process. Their out-of-state rebellion cannot go unchecked, and the business of Texas must go on."
In an effort to prevent the Republican-led Texas Legislature from redrawing congressional districts, more than 50 House Democrats left the state on Monday to prevent an official vote from taking place.
While Gov. Greg Abbott has threated absent Democrats with arrest, Paxton has confirmed that his office will "seek judicial relief confirming that their office is vacant."
"When members of the Legislature disregard arrest warrants, refuse to perform their duties, and announce that they intend to prevent the Legislature from exercising its constitutional responsibilities, they have, through words and conduct, demonstrated an intent to relinquish and abandon their offices," the lawsuit stated. "The alternative would empower a minority faction to disrupt the operation of the chamber."
The 13 lawmakers are state Reps. Ron Reynolds, Vikki Goodwin, Gina Hinojosa, James Talarico, Lulu Flores, Mihaela Plesa, Suleman Lalani, Chris Turner, Ana-Maria Ramos, Jessica Gonzalez, John Bucy III, Gene Wu, and Christina Morales.
Sen. John Cornyn, who is being challenged by Paxton in the Republican primary for his seat, sent a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel on Tuesday urging the agency to take "any appropriate steps" to help law enforcement find or arrest the lawmakers who left the state to deny the state House a quorum and prevent it from conducting business.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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