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Republican Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to arrest and expel the Texas House Democrats who fled the state to avoid a redistricting vote if they do not return by Monday afternoon.
Dozens of Texas’ Democratic state representatives arrived in Chicago Sunday night to stall the vote. Shortly after Abbott released his statement, the Texas House Democratic Caucus issued a simple response, writing: “Come and take it.”
The statement also described Republicans’ proposed districts, which would potentially secure five new GOP U.S. House seats in next year’s midterm elections, as a “racist mid-decade redistricting scheme.”
Abbott criticized the Democrats’ dramatic departure, starting his call for them to return with, “real Texans don’t run from a fight.”
TEXAS DEMOCRATS FLEE STATE TO BLOCK TRUMP-BACKED REDISTRICTING VOTE IN DRAMATIC LEGISLATIVE MOVE
“Rather than doing their job and voting on urgent legislation affecting the lives of all Texans, they have fled Texas to deprive the House of the quorum necessary to meet and conduct business,” he wrote.
At least 100 members of the 150-member Texas House must be present to conduct business, and approximately 50 of the Democrats have left. Abbott said their commitment to voting as elected state officials is a duty and is “not optional.”
The Texas House is set to reconvene at 3 p.m. on Monday and Abbott said the “derelict Democrat House members must return” by then or face being removed from their positions by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
The Republican AG has already stated that the lawmakers “should be found and arrested no matter where they go.”
TRUMP, REPUBLICANS RACE TO REDRAW TEXAS CONGRESSIONAL MAP AS DEMOCRATS THREATEN LEGAL WAR
Abbott also said a legislator determined to have “forfeited his or her office due to abandonment” can be removed from office under the Texas Constitution, thereby creating a vacancy, which the governor can “swiftly fill” under Article III, Section 13.
Removal from office is not the only threat facing the lawmakers on the run, as Abbott warned that “soliciting funds to evade the fines they will incur under House rules” is potentially a felony.
“Any Democrat who ‘solicits, accepts or agrees to accept’ such funds to assist in the violation of legislative duties or for purposes of skipping a vote may have violated bribery laws,” he wrote, citing the Texas Penal Code. He added that anyone who “offers, confers or agrees to confer” money to the fleeing lawmakers could also face charges.
Abbott concluded his statement by saying he will “use [his] full extradition authority to demand the return to Texas of any potential out-of-state felons.”
The proposal’s current design, which is not final, would tilt traditionally blue cities like Dallas and Houston in favor of Republicans, and would move Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett out of her own district, according to a previous Fox News Digital report.
During a news conference in Chicago on Sunday, House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Gene Wu said the lawmakers are “not here to play political games. We’re here to demand an end to this corrupt process.”
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker shared his support for the Texas Democrats during the news conference, describing their departure as a “righteous act of courage,” while claiming Republicans want to silence “millions of voices, especially Black and Latino voters.”
“Texas Democrats were left with no choice but to leave their home state, block a vote from taking place and protect their constituents,” Pritzker said.
The lawmakers have not stated a potential timeline for returning to Texas.
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