Texas governor orders arrest of Democrats who fled the state

Texas governor orders arrest of Democrats who fled the state

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued a threat to remove Democratic lawmakers from office if they do not return to Austin by Monday, August 4, 2025. This move comes in response to more than 50 Democrats leaving the state to prevent the Republican-controlled Texas House from passing a new congressional map, which could add five additional seats for Republicans in the 2026 midterms [1].

Abbott's letter, sent late Sunday, stated that the Democrats must return to Austin by 3:00 PM on Monday or face legal action. He cited a 2021 legal opinion from Attorney General Ken Paxton, which suggested that lawmakers who leave the state to deny a quorum could be deemed to have forfeited their offices [2]. If the courts agree, Abbott could appoint replacements for the vacant seats.

The governor also threatened to charge Democrats with felonies for fundraising to pay the $500 daily fines they would incur for skipping the session. Abbott alleged that soliciting funds to avoid these fines could be a violation of bribery laws, with donors potentially also facing liability [1].

The Texas House Democratic Caucus responded with a four-word statement, "Come and take it," while Illinois Governor JB Pritzker offered support to the Democrats, stating that he would do "everything he can to protect every single one of them" [1].

The proposed map, drawn at the direction of President Donald Trump, has been criticized by Democrats as a racist and partisan attack on Black and Hispanic voters. Republicans, however, argue that they are permitted to redraw maps for partisan gain between the usual once-a-decade redistricting process [1].

Legal experts have expressed skepticism about Abbott's ability to remove lawmakers from office. University of Notre Dame law professor Derek Muller noted that Abbott would need the courts to go along with his plan, and even then, Democrats could argue they were representing their constituents by denying the majority a quorum [3].

The escalating dispute began when Abbott called a special session last month at the urging of President Trump to redraw the state's map just four years after lawmakers adopted it [3].

References:
[1] https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/03/texas-house-democrats-abbott-threatens-removal-quorum-break/
[2] https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/prosecuting-texas-democrats-challenge-states-gop-ag/story?id=124347100
[3] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/08/04/texas-democrats-redistricting-maps-abbott-trump/