Texas attorney general files lawsuit to remove 13 state Democrats from office

WASHINGTON

Attorney General from the state of Texas, Ken Paxton, said Friday he asked the state’s top court to expel 13 Democrats from the state House.

"The rogue Democrat legislators who fled the state have abandoned their duties, leaving their seats vacant," said Paxton. "These cowards deliberately sabotaged the constitutional process and violated the oath they swore to uphold. Their out-of-state rebellion cannot go unchecked, and the business of Texas must go on.”

The state’s House Democratic lawmakers reportedly left for other states like Illinois and New York on Aug. 3 in protest of a proposed redistricting plan, effectively denying the chamber a quorum and halting legislative proceedings.

The walkout has triggered a wave of political and legal retaliation, including Gov. Greg Abbott filing an emergency petition Tuesday to the state’s Supreme Court seeking to remove Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu from office.

Texas Sen. John Cornyn announced Thursday that FBI Director Kash Patel approved his request for federal agents to assist Texas authorities in locating Democratic lawmakers who have stalled a Republican-led redistricting effort.