FBI is 'tracking down' Texas Democrats, Abbott says

(The Hill) – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said connected Thursday that the FBI is “tracking down” Democratic authorities lawmakers who fled the Lone Star State arsenic the GOP looks to instrumentality them to the authorities Capitol. 

“Texas DPS and the FBI are tracking down the derelict Democrats. They volition beryllium taken straight to the Texas Capitol,” Abbott wrote connected X.  

“Those who received benefits for skipping a ballot look removal from bureau and imaginable bribery charges,” helium continued. “In Texas, determination are consequences for your actions.” 

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) earlier connected Thursday said that the FBI had approved his petition to person the FBI assistance instrumentality enforcement agencies way down the Democrats, who fled the authorities implicit the play to artifact Republicans from passing an adjacent friendlier GOP House map.  

The FBI declined to remark to The Hill astir what Cornyn’s connection means oregon if it plans to talk publically astir it. 

It’s besides not wide what the FBI has agreed to successful presumption of aiding Republicans. 

Experts that spoke with The Hill connected Wednesday expressed skepticism that the FBI adjacent had the jurisdiction to assistance Texas Republicans successful forcing Democrats to instrumentality to the state. 

“I don’t spot wherefore the FBI would beryllium progressive successful this astatine all. I mean this is Texas authorities and the FBI has nary concern trying to enforce Texas authorities law,” Richard Painter, who served arsenic subordinate counsel to the president successful the White House counsel’s bureau during erstwhile President George W. Bush’s second term, told The Hill. 

“The lone national instrumentality that I deliberation is being violated successful Texas and successful Illinois and respective different states is voting rights. I deliberation gerrymandering violates voting rights, but the U.S. Supreme Court’s not consenting to bash thing astir it,” helium added, referring to a 2019 determination that said that the contented of gerrymandering is not wrong the scope of the national courts. 

The GOP calls to person the FBI progressive person drawn beardown rebukes from Democrats. 

“The FBI has nary concern — oregon ineligible authorization — to way down Texas House Democrats. The database of radical consenting to maltreatment their powerfulness to assistance Trump bargain 5 legislature seats is growing. It’s a menace to the regularisation of instrumentality and our democracy,” said Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), who was a Texas authorities lawmaker successful 2003 who broke quorum during Texas GOP’s mid-decade redistricting.