Arrest Warrants Authorized For Texas Democrats Who Left State Over Redistricting

Topline

The Texas House greenlit a measure Monday directing state police to find and arrest dozens of Democratic lawmakers who fled the state Sunday to block a vote on a congressional redistricting map that could help the GOP secure five additional seats in midterm elections.

The arrest warrants were voted in Monday afternoon. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Key Facts

The arrest warrants apply to over 50 Democrats who left the state, though they can only be enforced within state lines and will not result in civil or criminal charges.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott accused Democrats of “holding hostage critical legislation to aid flood victims and advance property tax relief,” saying in a statement the order will remain effective until all missing Democratic House members return to the capitol.

Hours after ordering the arrests, Abbott directed the Texas Rangers, an investigative law enforcement agency, to investigate the Democratic lawmakers for “potential bribery and any other potential legal violations” linked to their blocking of the quorum.

Most Democrats have left to Illinois, New York and Massachusetts, according to The Texas Tribune, which noted House members who fled will be issued $500 fines for each day they block a quorum.

Democrats left the state to hinder voting on congressional redistricting that will likely net Republicans another five seats in the U.S. House, where the GOP has a slim majority.

Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, has alleged the redistricting amounts to “illegal voter suppression of Black and Latino Central Texans,” saying President Donald Trump wants to violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which bars racial discrimination in voting.

Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you’ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here.

Crucial Quote

Illinois Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker told reporters Monday his office is “going to do everything we can to protect” the Democratic lawmakers from Texas authorities.

Chief Critic

The Texas House Democratic Caucus accused the GOP of using a special House session to address deadly flooding in Texas last month as “political cover” to vote on the congressional redistricting map. The Caucus blasted Abbott, saying the governor “has turned the victims of a tragedy into political hostages in his submission to Donald Trump.”

What To Watch For

Democratic lawmakers in other states have threatened similar redistricting efforts amid Texas’ push for a new map. Maryland House Majority Leader David Moon introduced a measure to redistrict if Texas or another state approves redistricting before the next census. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has threatened to make a similar move, saying, “If Republicans are willing to rewrite these rules to give themselves an advantage, then they’re leaving us no choice—we must do the same.”

Key Background

The proposed redistricting would most impact Democratic Reps. Greg Casar, Lloyd Doggett, Julie Johnson, Marc Veasey and Al Green. If the new map had been in place in 2024, Trump would have won three more districts in the presidential election, The Texas Tribune reported. After Democratic lawmakers fled Texas on Sunday, Abbott threatened to “remove the missing Democrats from membership in the Texas House,” saying he would formalize the removal by using a non-binding opinion issued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who said in 2021 that lawmakers who intentionally break quorum could be removed from office for the “abandonment” of their duties. Texas House Democrats told the governor to “Come and take it.”