Texas Gov. Abbott to Newsmax: Fleeing Dems Can't Escape Justice

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott told Newsmax on Tuesday he is flabbergasted that Democrats serving in the state House of Representatives have fled to Democrat-friendly states such as Illinois, Massachusetts, and New York to thwart the Texas Legislature's attempts at redrawing its congressional map.

Abbott, a Republican, on Monday called for those Democrats to be tracked down and arrested, and the state House overwhelmingly voted to do the same. On Tuesday, Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced he is prepared to seek a court ruling to label those Democrats absent and declare their seats vacant.

"It's outrageous," Abbott told "The Chris Salcedo Show." "They flee to states like Illinois, and candidly, these Democrats fit right in in Illinois and New York a whole lot better than they fit into the state of Texas.

"What we're doing in the state of Texas is we are redrawing the congressional district lines to ensure that the voters in the state of Texas are going to have the opportunity to cast votes for members of Congress that are consistent with the way they voted for the United States presidency.

"We're going to add five more Republican congressional districts in the state of Texas, and the Democrats realize there's nothing they can do about it. But in a very un-Texan fashion, they're not staying here and fighting. They're turning tail and running. That's the most un-Texan thing they can do."

Abbott also chided Democrats for halting efforts by the state to distribute relief funds to those affected by the deadly flooding in Kerr County last month after Abbott called the Legislature in for a special session.

"They're not just turning their backs on the redistricting process," Abbott said. "We're in a special session called by me. And on that agenda, the first items are to respond to the devastating floods in Kerrville, Texas, and across the state of Texas. The Democrats are denying the ability of the state to provide flood relief to our fellow Texans.

"They should be kicked out of office by the voters. But in the meantime, as you pointed out, Ken Paxton is filing a lawsuit. There's going to be additional legal action taken to remove these recalcitrant Democrats from their offices."

Abbott on Monday directed the Texas Rangers law enforcement agency to investigate any potential violations of state law, including bribery. There are allegations many absentee Democrats have solicited or received funds to evade conducting legislative business and casting votes.

He said not all of the absentee Democrats have left the state and that the Texas Department of Public Safety is trying to track them down and bring them back to the Capitol.

"Our information does include information that there are Democrats in the state of Texas right now," Abbott said. "And as we're speaking on television right now, the Texas Department of Public Safety is seeking and will find them, and they will arrest them and bring them to the Texas Capitol.

"The same goes for Democrats who are outside the state. I talked to the Department of Public Safety, and they are working on strategies to locate and bring back members of the Democrat House who are outside the state. And if they don't get to bring them back, they will be met by the Department of Public Safety when they do return. There is no way for these Democrats to be able to escape justice here."

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