FBI Assists Texas GOP in Locating Fleeing Democratic Lawmakers

Texas Senator John Cornyn has requested FBI assistance to locate and hold accountable Democratic Texas House members who fled the state to prevent a vote on a GOP-backed redistricting plan aimed at increasing Republican congressional seats in the 2026 midterms. Cornyn accused the Democrats of potentially violating laws, including bribery and other public corruption offenses, by accepting funds to avoid their legislative duties. FBI Director Kash Patel approved the request, and the FBI is now working with Texas law enforcement to track these lawmakers, who are primarily sheltering in blue states such as Illinois and New York. Governor Greg Abbott supports this federal involvement and has warned of legal consequences including removal from office and felony charges for the absent legislators. The Democrats' quorum denial tactic, while allowed under Texas House rules, has escalated into a political and legal confrontation involving federal authorities under the Trump administration. This move has raised concerns about jurisdictional conflicts, particularly as some lawmakers remain beyond Texas law enforcement reach.