AG Paxton files lawsuit to declare 13 Democratic seats vacant, none in El Paso area

AUSTIN, Texas (KVIA) -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit in the Texas Supreme Court to declare 13 Texas House seats vacant amid the ongoing quorum break that's seen more than a dozen Democratic lawmakers leave the state.

The Democrats left Texas earlier this week amid the ongoing fight over redistricting the state's congressional districts. Since then, Paxton has taken numerous actions in an effort to return the Democrats to Texas in order to continue House sessions.

Paxton's office says that this initial lawsuit concentrates on 13 Democrats "who made incriminating public statements regarding their refusal to return, essentially confirming in their own words the very grounds for this legal action." None of the 13 seats listed in the lawsuit are in the El Paso area.

Paxton's office says that he has the explicit authority to file this lawsuit and represent the state in front of the Texas Supreme Court on this matter.

“The Texas Constitution, statutes, and rules provide a broad range of tools for members of a legislative minority to be heard," the petition reads. "But those tools do not include concerted effort by members of the minority to disrupt the functioning of the Legislature by abdicating their duties, including spurning the constitutional authority of the remaining members to compel their attendance. When members of the Legislature disregard arrest warrants, refuse to perform their duties, and announce that they intend to prevent the Legislature from exercising its constitutional responsibilities, they have, through words and conduct, demonstrated an intent to relinquish and abandon their offices.”