Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, mentioned on Thursday that FBI Director Kash Patel has granted his request for the federal authorities to help with finding Texas Home Democrats who fled the state in protest of GOP-led redistricting efforts.
Cornyn’s letter requesting federal assist with finding and investigating the state legislators was despatched on Tuesday.
“I thank President Trump and Director Patel for supporting and swiftly appearing on my name for the federal authorities to carry these supposed lawmakers accountable for fleeing Texas. We can not permit these rogue legislators to keep away from their constitutional duties,” Cornyn mentioned in a information launch.
The FBI declined to touch upon the matter.
Cornyn additionally joined “The Mark Davis” radio present on Thursday morning and expressed his gratitude for Patel’s immediate response.
“Simply to unravel it, I requested Kash to look into it and he responded promptly, I am grateful to him,” the senator mentioned.
Sen. John Cornyn leaves a senate luncheon within the U.S. Capitol, June 3, 2025.
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Name through Getty Photographs
Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries slammed Cornyn and the FBI after Cornyn mentioned the bureau granted his request.
“Should not the FBI be monitoring down terrorists, drug traffickers and youngster predators? The Trump administration continues to weaponize legislation enforcement to focus on political adversaries. These extremists do not give a rattling about public security. We won’t be intimidated,” Jeffries wrote on X.
Cornyn known as the Democrats “irresponsible” for breaking quorum — and rendering the legislature unable to take up any laws, together with some in responds to the floods that devastated the area just lately.
“There are a selection of issues on the decision that Gov. Abbott has listed, together with redistricting, however they’re lacking all of these. And I believe that is irresponsible, and I believe we simply have to unravel it,” mentioned Cornyn. “They obtained to come back again house someday … it isn’t going to achieve success. They don’t seem to be going to have the ability to finally escape their duty. It is a stunt.”
The Texas Home of Representatives failed once more on Tuesday to maneuver ahead on enacting the GOP’s new congressional map, which might web Republicans between three and 5 seats in subsequent yr’s midterm elections. These added seats may very well be the distinction maker over who has management of the U.S. Home — a chamber the place Republicans have a small majority.
Home Speaker Rep. Dustin Burrows, a Republican, mentioned the legislature would attempt once more on Friday to determine a quorum.
Within the meantime, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the Texas Division of Public Security to seek out and arrest these Democrats, an order Abbott mentioned will stay in impact till they’re “accounted for and introduced again” to Austin.
President Donald Trump earlier this week informed ABC Information Chief White Home Correspondent Mary Bruce the FBI “could must become involved.”
“You’ll be able to’t simply sit it out. You need to return. You need to struggle it out. That is what elections are all about,” the president mentioned on the time.
