Abbott orders arrest of AWOL Texas House Dems after warrant issued by House Speaker

  • by:
  • Source: Fox News
  • 08/05/2025

Abbott orders arrest of AWOL Texas House Dems after warrant issued by House Speaker

  • by:
  • Source: Fox News
  • 08/05/2025

With the 4 p.m. CT deadline having come and gone, Texas Speaker of the House Dustin Burrows announced this afternoon he would sign arrest warrants against any absent Democrat lawmakers if authorized by a vote of the chamber. Shortly thereafter, the House did approve the warrants and Gov. Greg Abbott then swiftly called on the Texas Department of Public Safety to arrest the "delinquent Texas House Democrats."  

The Democratic lawmakers ultimately did not return to Texas in time Monday to approve a quorum amid a fight to halt GOP efforts to redraw the state's congressional maps. 

The Illinois State Democratic Party put out a press release shortly before the quorum in Texas was requested, indicating that "in a bold and unified response Texas House Democrats have denied a quorum." While several state Democrats appeared at an event in Illinois on Monday, a state that critics argue is heavily gerrymandered itself, other events aimed at fighting against Texas' redistricting efforts were also held in Albany, Boston and Chicago, according to the press release.  

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