Texas special session: Democrats threatened with arrest for breaking quorum

AUSTIN, Texas - Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered Texas DPS to arrest ‘delinquent’ House Democrats who fled the state in order to break quorum to stop further redistricting efforts in the Legislature.

On Monday, the Texas House was set to have a second reading of House Bill 4, which proposes new congressional district maps that would impact multiple Democrat-held seats and create five new majority Republican districts.

The proposed map, if passed, could result in Democrats losing at least one seat each in North Texas, Houston, Austin and South Texas.

However, without a quorum, the Texas House did not have enough members in the chamber on Monday afternoon to take up business and has been adjourned until Tuesday afternoon.

Abbott, Burrows, Paxton threaten arrests

What we know:

House Speaker Dustin Burrows urged the "no shows" to return and said he would sign arrest warrants for those who do not return.

Gov. Abbott ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to arrest House Democrats after he issued an ultimatum on Sunday, calling for the Dems to return by 3 p.m. August 4.

"By fleeing the state, Texas House Democrats are holding hostage critical legislation to aid flood victims and advance property tax relief. There are consequences for dereliction of duty," said Abbott.

"Speaker Dustin Burrows just issued a call of the Texas House and issued warrants to compel members to return to the chamber. To ensure compliance, I ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to locate, arrest, and return to the House chamber any member who has abandoned their duty to Texans. This order will remain in effect until all missing Democrat House members are accounted for and brought to the Texas Capitol."

Attorney General Ken Paxton has also said he will "hunt down" and arrest the runaway Democrats.

Texas House Dems respond to threat, call to come back home

What they're saying:

The quorum break held because of Democrats like state Rep. James Talarico (D-Round Rock), who had a short response to the call to come back home.

"Will not, no," said Talarico.

Talarico flew to Chicago on Sunday where he is holed up with a group of other Democrats in a hotel.

"If we allow this power grab to go through with no response, or with the typical back and forth that you see on the House floor, it will mean that they're going to do this more and more in the years to come, right," said Talarico.

Reportedly, 51 Texas Democrats, the majority being from the House, left the state.

"So you peeing on me, and you telling me it's raining, and you expect me to believe it. Wrong answer," said State Rep. Jolanda Jones (D-Houston).

Jones was among those who found refuge with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.

"We're looking at mechanisms where I can be supportive on the other side of the equation, not the government side, but the political side, and encourage others to step up and invest in these brave soldiers for our democracy," said Gov. Hochul.

The Texas House Democratic Caucus issued a four-word response to Abbott's threats to remove Democrats from office and/or arrest them, which read "Come and Take it."

Abbott defends revision of congressional maps

What they're saying:

On Monday, during a FOX News Channel interview, Abbott defended the rewrite. 

It could bring up to five GOP congressional wins in 2026, but according to Abbott, the new districts will also help Hispanic voters.

"The district lines will solidify the Barbara Jordan African-American district in the Houston area, and it will add four new Hispanic districts. And so, there's actually going to be more racial minority districts in the state of Texas," said Gov. Abbott.

Abbott also spoke about his Sunday statement that accused Democrats of forfeiting their elected offices. It also came with a warning.

"It would be bribery if any lawmaker took money to perform or to refuse to perform an act in the legislature. And the reports are these legislators have been both, they sought money and they offered money to skip the vote, to leave the legislature, to take a legislative act. That would be bribery," said Gov. Abbott.

That threat brought a sharp rebuke from state Rep Mikaela Plesa (D-Dallas).

"Look, the Governor is very good at manipulating the truth, right? And what he's saying is not completely accurate. He knows that we're using a tool that was given to us by the founders of the Texas Constitution. He knows what the rules are," said Plesa.

It was noted in the interview with Abbott that Texas Democrats went to states that have already put a redistricting squeeze on their Republicans.

Talarico acknowledged the pushback to that.

"No, it's wrong here, too. It is wrong in both political parties. It is wrong in every state. It's why I have filed a bill to take the power to draw political maps out of the hands of politicians, Democratic or Republican, and put that power in the hands of the people. That's how we clean up our political system. It's how to end gerrymandering once and for all," said Rep Talarico. 

Dig deeper:

Most walkouts and stalling tactics under the Capitol dome by Democrats have failed.

In 2021, voting reform legislation triggered a dash to Washington DC.

In 2013, State Senator Wendy Davis spoke for nearly 13 hours to filibuster an abortion bill.

In 2003, a six-week-long stay in Ardmore, Oklahoma and in Albuquerque, New Mexico was in reaction to redistricting.

In 1979, six Democratic Senators broke quorum and were successful in preventing legislation to change the presidential primary date.

Texas PoliticsTexasGreg AbbottKen Paxton