Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) called in the FBI on Tuesday to break the stalemate over the state’s redistricting vote, according to The New York Times.
Cornyn wants agents to “round up” and arrest the 56 Democratic lawmakers who fled the state to prevent a quorum in the legislative body for what they dubbed “gerrymandering.” Many traveled to the Democratic-led states of Illinois, Massachusetts, and New York as Republicans sought to pass a redistricting map in their favor.
If approved, the map could give Republicans up to five new congressional seats.
On Monday, the speaker of the Texas House issued civil warrants for the arrest of the Democrats. Shortly thereafter, Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton both ordered the arrests. However, The Texas Tribune pointed out that the warrants “apply only within state lines, making them largely symbolic.”
Democrats like Rep. Gene Wu (D), chair of the Texas State House Democratic Caucus, said they were willing to face the consequences of their civil disobedience.
The redistricting effort was guided by President Donald Trump, who told CNBC on Tuesday, “We are entitled to five more seats,” because he said he won the state “decisively” in last year’s presidential election.
In his letter to MAGA FBI director Kash Patel, Cornyn wrote that “federal resources are necessary to locate the out-of-state Texas legislators who are potentially acting in violation of the law.”
The agency did not indicate whether it would move to make the arrests, the Times reported.
Cornyn also “cited an accusation by Gov. Greg Abbott that the absent Democrats and people who support them may be violating bribery laws over the funding of the walkout.” Abbott referred that issue to the Texas Rangers.