The political standoff in Texas continues to escalate. GOP U.S. Senator John Cornyn announced that FBI Director Kash Patel has agreed to assist in locating House Democrats who fled the state to deny Republicans a quorum during a special session on congressional redistricting.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Gov. Greg Abbott criticized the walkout, accusing Democrats of abandoning their elected duties. The walkout prevented the Texas House from reaching quorum during a session called to pass legislation on election integrity and border security. Abbott has vowed to call special sessions every 30 days and has initiated removal proceedings against at least one absent lawmaker.
The Texas House has issued civil arrest warrants, suspended pay and per diems, approved budget cuts for offices of members participating in the walkout, and the state’s Attorney General is investigating a Democratic PAC that may have funded the effort. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has also joined calls for the Democrats’ return.
“In a representative democracy, we resolve our differences by debating and voting, not by running away,” Cornyn wrote in his letter to the FBI, according to The Hill.
“I request the FBI’s assistance, as federal resources are necessary to locate the out-of-state Texas legislators who are potentially acting in violation of the law. The FBI has tools to aid state law enforcement when parties cross state lines, including to avoid testifying or fleeing a scene of a crime.”
Legal observers caution that the FBI’s involvement—with no clear statutory basis in this purely state-level dispute—raises serious concerns. Breaking a quorum is not a crime, and the bureau has yet to confirm any active operational role.
“I don’t see why the FBI would be involved in this at all. I mean this is Texas politics and the FBI has no business trying to enforce Texas state law,” said Richard Painter, former associate counsel to President George W. Bush.
The stalemate has left the legislative agenda frozen, with both sides showing no sign of backing down.