Judge Rules on Arresting Texas Democrats Who Fled State

An Illinois judge refused state authorities’ request to prosecute Texas House Democrats who fled to the Prairie State to break quorum in an attempt to prevent a redistricting law that might give Republicans an additional five seats in the United States House of Representatives.

Dozens of Texas House Democrats left the Lone Star State to deny a quorum, preventing the bill from moving forward. According to experts, the law would likely give Republicans an additional five seats in the United States House of Representatives.

The GOP now holds a seven-seat majority in the lower chamber of Congress, with 219 Republican representatives and 212 Democrats. President Trump has supported redistributing efforts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, which are expected to benefit Republicans, with California Governor Gavin Newsom vowing to redistrict his state “to offset the rigging” in reaction.

On Wednesday, Judge Scott Larson of the Eighth Circuit Court of Illinois denied Paxton and Burrows’ demand to extend a Texas civil arrest warrant issued on August 8 for Democrats who fled, stating that his court lacked jurisdiction.

Larson concluded Paxton and Burrows had “failed to present a legal basis for the court” and said he could not instruct Illinois law enforcement to enforce civil warrants imposed on “nonresidents temporarily located in the State of Illinois.”

The judge further stated that even if his court ruled on the case, it could only determine if the Democratic representatives knowingly defied a court order and could not require them to return to Texas.

Burrows and Paxton filed their complaint in Illinois’ westernmost county, which voted 47 percent for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. This was some distance from DuPage County, a Chicago suburb and Democratic stronghold, where the Democratic politicians, according to The Texas Tribune, are staying.

The Texas Speaker has stated that if a quorum is not established by Friday, the current session will be adjourned.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he will immediately call a new session commenting: “There will be no reprieve for the derelict Democrats who fled the state and abandoned their duty to the people who elected them. I will continue to call special session after special session until we get this Texas first agenda passed.”

In addition to the redistribution measure, which would establish five new Republican-leaning districts in Texas, the lack of quorum has blocked the Texas Legislature from approving disaster relief following the July flooding that killed more than 130 people.

Judge Scott Larson wrote in his ruling: “As the petitioner has failed to present a legal basis for the court to obtain subject matter jurisdiction over this cause of action, this court is without jurisdiction to grant petitioner’s emergency motion to rule on pleadings,” Larson wrote in an order filed Wednesday. “As the court does not find that it has subject matter jurisdiction, this court does not consider the issues of personal jurisdiction, venue or the merits of the underlying petition for rule to show cause or the request to issue a rule to show cause upon the respondents.”

Texas Democrats who fled the state to hinder redistricting proceedings may face felony bribery charges, Republican Governor Greg Abbott said in an interview with Fox News.

As some AWOL Democrats reportedly plan to return in time for a second special legislative session to begin next week, Abbott, who previously served as the state’s attorney general and sat on the state supreme court, told Fox News that Texas is investigating whether they violated anti-bribery laws by accepting money to break quorum.

“There had been some identification of some people paying for it,” Abbott explained. “I’ve got to tell you, it raises a serious legal question for these officeholders, and that is, they were promised money if they did break quorum. That would be a bribe that could lead to a felony charge.”

Abbott revealed that Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is investigating the possibility of felony bribery charges against the Democratic lawmakers.