Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott has ordered Texas law enforcement to arrest Democratic lawmakers who fled the state to block a vote on redistricting that could give Republicans several more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Texas House Democrats abandoned their duty to Texans,” Abbott said in an Aug. 4 press release announcing the move. “By fleeing the state, Texas House Democrats are holding hostage critical legislation to aid flood victims and advance property tax relief. There are consequences for dereliction of duty.”
It’s unclear whether and how Texas law enforcement will be able to work with out-of-state law enforcement to execute the arrest order, which Abbott said is designed to ensure the missing Democrats comply with civil arrest warrants issued by state Republican lawmakers in an 85-6 vote earlier in the day. Those warrants only apply within state lines.
More than 50 state Democratic lawmakers fled Aug. 3 in the political power struggle. Many went to the Chicago area in Illinois, where Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker greeted them. Others went to Boston, Massachusetts and Albany, New York.
At the urging of President Donald Trump, Texas Republicans have proposed changing congressional districts to give their party an assist in next year’s midterm elections. The revamped map could allow Republicans to flip as many as five Democratic congressional seats.
The Democrats are already facing a $500 fine for each day they are out of the state. The penalty was created after state Democrats in 2021 made a similar move to protest new voting restrictions. However, supporters such as Pritzker, a billionaire, and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a star Democratic fundraiser from Texas, have offered to help the fleeing Democrats.
Abbott said that his arrest order, which called on the Texas Department Of Public Safety to take action, will remain in place until every missing Democratic member has been brought to the Texas Capitol.
Contributing: Savannah Kuchar – USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Texas orders arrest of Democrats who fled to block redistricting
