Texas AG Sues To Vacate 13 Dem House Seats Over Quorum Walkout!

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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court of Texas, seeking judicial declarations that 13 Texas House seats have been vacated due to the ongoing unlawful absences of Democrat legislators who did not meet the return deadline set by Speaker Dustin Burrows.

“The rogue Democrat legislators who fled the state have abandoned their responsibilities, leaving their seats unoccupied,” Paxton stated in a press release. “These individuals have intentionally undermined the constitutional process and breached the oath they pledged to uphold.

“Their rebellion from out of state cannot be ignored, and the operations of Texas must continue. I have requested the Texas Supreme Court to affirm what has been evident from the outset: that the runaway members have officially vacated their positions in the Texas House,” he further remarked.

House Democrats continue to be absent from the state, engaging in what Paxton described as politically motivated grandstanding from various locations. He asserted that their actions signify a “flagrant abandonment of office” and a “betrayal of the voters” who elected them.

The lawsuit focuses on 13 members who publicly announced their refusal to return, which Paxton argues substantiates the basis for the legal proceedings. Texas law grants the Attorney General the authority to represent the state in quo warranto actions and to appear before the Texas Supreme Court in matters concerning the state’s interests.

The petition states: “The Texas Constitution, statutes, and regulations provide a wide array of mechanisms for members of a legislative minority to express their voices. However, these mechanisms do not include a coordinated effort by minority members to obstruct the Legislature’s operations by neglecting their responsibilities, which includes rejecting the constitutional authority of the other members to mandate their attendance. When legislators ignore arrest warrants, decline to fulfill their obligations, and declare their absence, they undermine the legislative process.

In an effort to encourage Democrats to return to Austin, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows issued a memo to House members stipulating that those who violated quorum must retrieve their paychecks in person.
House leaders announced that direct deposits will be suspended until a quorum is restored, signifying that a sufficient number of members must be present to conduct business.

On Thursday, the FBI agreed to assist in locating the Texas Democrats who fled to obstruct the House from convening, as reported by a U.S. senator from the state.

More than 50 Democratic lawmakers left Texas on Sunday, with many traveling to Chicago, in a bid to prevent a scheduled vote on redistricting and to halt legislative activities during the special session. Their departure allowed them to avoid potential arrest by state law enforcement.

U.S. Senator John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, mentioned on Tuesday that he had sought the assistance of FBI Director Kash Patel in aiding state and local law enforcement to locate and apprehend the Democrats.

“I am pleased to announce that Director Kash Patel has approved my request for the FBI to support state and local law enforcement in tracking down the runaway Texas House Democrats,” Cornyn stated.

“I would like to thank President Trump and Director Patel for their support and swift action in response to my request for the federal government to hold these alleged lawmakers accountable for abandoning Texas. We must not allow these defiant legislators to escape their constitutional responsibilities,” he added.

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