Texas AG, House Speaker trying to get absent Democrats arrested in Illinois

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows are taking legal action to enforce the warrants issued for the Democrats who left the state in order to break quorum during the redistricting fight. They are taking legal action to domesticate the warrants in Illinois, which would allow the Democrats staying there to be arrested and returned to Texas.

“Speaker Burrows immediately issued warrants for the arrest of runaway Democrats who fled Texas, abandoned their constituents, and abdicated their legislative duties,” said Attorney General Paxton. “We are pursuing every legal remedy at our disposal to hold these rogue legislators accountable. Texas deserves representatives who do their jobs instead of running away at the behest of their billionaire handlers. If there’s one thing Texans can’t stand more than losers, it’s cowards.”

The Democrats left the state and did not return when the House reconvened on Monday. That is when Speaker Burrows issued the warrants. He says he has the authority to do this under Article III, Section 10 of the Texas Constitution and Rule 5, Section 8, of the Rules of the Texas House of Representatives, which stipulates that upon a call of the house, “[a]ll absentees for whom no sufficient excuse is made may, by order of a majority of those present, be sent for and arrested, wherever they may be found.”

“From day one, I have said that all options are on the table when it comes to making sure my colleagues who have fled the House return to fulfill their constitutional obligations," Speaker Burrows said. The members who fled have been given ample time and opportunity to return on their own accord, and because they have continued to refuse their responsibilities to their constituents and return to Texas, the State has no choice but to pursue additional legal remedies to compel their return from other states. Our full focus is on stopping this dereliction of duty and restoring quorum in the Texas House as soon as possible so we may return our time, attention and resources where they most matter—on the critical issues of the special session call.”