Texas state House Democrats again refused to return for state legislative business Tuesday, prompting Republicans to issue an ultimatum—come back to the Capitol by Friday or risk removal from office.
Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office released a statement Tuesday that “he will pursue a court ruling ensuring that their seats are declared vacant” if they do not return for legislative work by Friday.
Ahead of the Texas House of Representatives’ consideration of a newly redrawn congressional map that would favor Republicans, Democrats have fled the state in order to break quorum—the number of representatives required to be present for debate to proceed. That has temporarily frozen House activity.
Texas state House Republicans’ redistricting plans could flip as many as five Democrat-held congressional seats, an effort President Donald Trump supports.
The special session is also devoted to providing ongoing relief for victims of the devastating Texas Hill Country flooding in July.
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In response to the Democrats’ absence, the state House empowered the sergeant-at-arms on Monday to return these lawmakers to the Capitol, by force if necessary.
But on Tuesday, the House still could not reach the 100-member quorum threshold, with only 94 members registering themselves, and Democrats still harboring in blue enclaves, such as New York and Illinois.
Paxton says his threat comes as “Speaker of the House Dustin Burrows has given members until Friday, Aug. 8, to return to Texas and present themselves before the House.” The House’s warrants for the arrest of those members do not apply outside of Texas and do not carry criminal charges.
“If you don’t show up to work, you get fired,” Paxton said in his statement, possibly emulating the signature catchphrase of Trump. Paxton is running in the 2026 Republican Senate primary against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn.
Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has already indicated he is open to removing rogue lawmakers from office, having said in a statement on Sunday that “for any member who fails to [arrive at the Capitol], I will invoke Texas Attorney General Opinion No. KP-0382 to remove the missing Democrats from membership in the Texas House.”
Abbott also said he thinks the members may be guilty of felony bribery crimes if they are accepting donations to pay the $500 daily fines that apply to intentionally breaking quorum.
Cornyn penned a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel on Tuesday, urging him to investigate possible “bribery or other public corruption offenses” committed by the lawmakers.
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