• Sen. John Cornyn urges FBI to assist in locating and arresting Texas lawmakers who fled to block redistricting.
• Texas House empowered law enforcement to compel return of absentee Democrats to maintain quorum.
• Cornyn accuses fleeing lawmakers of violating oaths and raises concerns about bribery and corruption.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (TDR) — Texas senior senator John Cornyn (R-TX), facing reelection in 2026, sent a letter Tuesday urging FBI Director Kash Patel to assist in tracking and arresting nearly 50 Texas state lawmakers who fled the state to delay a crucial congressional redistricting vote.

Texas House Votes to Compel Lawmakers’ Return

Cornyn’s appeal follows the Texas House of Representatives voting to empower law enforcement officers and the House sergeant-at-arms to arrest absent members. The move aims to secure a quorum needed to advance a contentious redistricting plan designed to gain five additional Republican congressional seats nationally. The warrants are only valid within Texas, rendering them symbolic as the Democrats remain out of state.

House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R) confirmed he would sign the arrest warrants, highlighting the political standoff as Democrats prevent legislative business by denying quorum.

Cornyn Requests FBI Support Across State Lines

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In his letter to Patel, Cornyn expressed concern that the absent lawmakers violated their oaths by fleeing Texas to obstruct the legislative process.

“I write to encourage the Federal Bureau of Investigation (‘FBI’) to take any appropriate steps to aid in Texas state law enforcement efforts to locate or arrest potential lawbreakers who have fled the state,” Cornyn wrote. “Their stated goal was to prevent the legislature from properly meeting, in violation of their oath of office.”

He noted that because these legislators are outside Texas, they require federal assistance for apprehension.

“Out-of-state actors have made public comments about protecting the Texas legislators who are currently hiding out of state from any accountability for their actions.”

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Cornyn urged the FBI to use its tools to assist in arresting lawmakers crossing state borders to avoid their duties. He raised the possibility that some may face charges related to bribery or public corruption for soliciting or accepting funds to aid their flight.

Governor Abbott Orders Continued Enforcement

Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) has ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to find and return the missing lawmakers.

“This order will remain in effect until all missing Democrat House members are accounted for and brought to the Texas Capitol,” Abbott said in a statement.

Political Tensions Ahead of 2026

Cornyn faces a significant primary challenge from Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), who is running to his right and leads in current polls. The high-profile standoff over redistricting and legislative attendance underscores the growing political pressure in Texas as the 2026 election cycle approaches.

Will federal intervention escalate the political conflict over Texas’s congressional map?

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