Donald Trump threatens to use FBI to bring Texas | Political News

Following Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas calling on the FBI to help monitor down and arrest sitting members of the Texas State Legislature who are at the moment breaking quorum, President Donald Trump echoed those calls on Tuesday, saying, “They may have to.”

“A lot of people have demanded they come back,” stated Trump. “You can’t just sit it out. You have to go back, you have to fight it out.”

Nearly 30 members of the Texas Legislature have fled the state in order to break quorum and stop the Texas House from passing a mid-decade redistricting plan that may see the GOP gain an estimated 5 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

With regard to Sen. Cornyn’s and Trump’s threats to make the most of the FBI to monitor down and arrest the absent representatives, who at the moment have civil arrest warrants out against them, legal specialists and even Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton say it might be difficult to implement penalties against the Democratic lawmakers.

Texas House guidelines enable fines of $500 every day the Democrats are absent. Still, even with orders from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for the Texas Rangers to arrest the absent members, they’re nicely out of Texas’ jurisdiction and have fled to Democratic strongholds such as New York and Illinois. Abbott has also prompt eradicating the absent lawmakers from their positions, despite specialists saying he doubtless doesn’t have the legal authority to do so.

The White House declined to remark additional on Trump’s threats to use the FBI to arrest the absent members. This stems from Trump requesting Abbott call a particular session of the legislature to tip the stability of energy in the House in favor of Republicans. State congressional districts are usually redrawn every 10 years after the national census is carried out. Trump and Abbott’s efforts have induced an outcry from Democratic leaders, with some even threatening to counter Texas’s redistricting effort with plans of their own.

Democrats in California are contemplating a draft proposal to reshape their district maps and cut away 5 Republican seats while securing more precarious seats already held by Democrats.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has been outspoken about wanting partisan redistricting if Texas strikes forward with its plans.

Unlike Texas, however, California has an unbiased commission that handles redistricting after the census every decade, which is usually when districts are reshaped to account for population shifts.

Any modifications would first need the approval of state lawmakers and voters. Newsom stated he’d call a particular election in November for California residents to do just that.

Similar to California, New York has an unbiased commission that redistricts only after the census. Last week, state Democrats launched laws to enable mid-decade redistricting.

Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul stated if Texas proceeds, “we must do the same.”

The proposal, however, would require an modification to the state structure, a change that would have to go the legislature twice and be accredited by voters.

That means the soonest new maps may very well be in place for the 2028 elections.

The total scenario spearheaded by Trump has blown the lid off gerrymandering practices, a political transfer that politicians have traditionally feared being accused of but now appear to relish.

The absent Texas lawmakers have repeatedly stated they’ve no intention of folding to Abbott or Trump’s threats of arrest, fines, or elimination from workplace, with some calling the techniques “smoke and mirrors.