Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a statement warning Democrats who fled the state to deny a quorum for his redistricting push that they have until precisely 3 p.m. Monday to return to their House duties or face removal from office.
Abbott, in his statement, cites a 2021 Attorney General opinion (KP-0382) that could let him petition a court to declare their seats vacant. On top of that, he’s dangling the sword of felony charges, alleging their fundraising to cover $500-a-day fines might violate bribery laws.
“Real Texans do not run from a fight,” Abbott wrote. “But that’s exactly what most of the Texas House Democrats just did.”
“Rather than doing their job and voting on urgent legislation affecting the lives of all Texans, they have fled Texas to deprive the House of the quorum necessary to meet and conduct business.”
His statement outlines the legal consequences that House Democrat members face for breaking quorum, including the potential loss of their seats and felony violations.
Abbott further explains, as RedState’s Bonchie reported Sunday evening, that the Texas state constitution allows for such actions – including tracking down and arresting House members – to combat their politically motivated stunt.
“This truancy ends now,” he declared.
🚨BREAKING NEWS from TX Governor Greg Abbott:
“This truancy ends now. The derelict Democrat House members must return to Texas and be in attendance when the House reconvenes at 3:00 PM on Monday, August 4, 2025. For any member who fails to do so, I will invoke Texas Attorney… pic.twitter.com/lCg1LXSyum
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) August 4, 2025
Trump and Abbott End Run Around Democrat 2026 Hopes, and a Total Freak-Out Ensues
The opinion Abbott is citing provides a legal framework suggesting that intentional, prolonged absence to break quorum could constitute abandonment, creating a vacancy that the governor could fill by appointment. The process, in reality, would involve legal proceedings, and success will depend on courts agreeing with the abandonment interpretation.
Abbott’s statement is the right move. But does it have the teeth to follow through?
The first step in punishing these cowardly Democrats was set to be $500 per day fines, which, as Bonchie noted, would not “do much to compel a return … and you can bet left-wing donors will find a way to slip money under the table to pay those debts.”
Abbott addresses that tactic in his statement, suggesting soliciting funds to evade the fines as a means to abandon their legislative duties could violate bribery laws.
“I will use my full extradition authority to demand the return to Texas of any potential out-of-state felons,” he declared.
Abbott made similar threats back in 2021 when the Democrats pulled an identical stunt, though giving a specific deadline and citing legal opinions seems to be upping the ante here. Will he actually pull the trigger?
The state lawmakers at that time – which included Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) – called Abbott’s bluff with Republicans seemingly unwilling to support the nuclear option. The childish truants would eventually return after fleeing the state for 38 days.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, previously threatened arrests of any Democrat who simply tries to leave the state to prevent a vote on redistricting.
“If Democrats ignore their duty to their constituents by breaking quorum, they should be found and arrested no matter where they go,” Paxton wrote on X. “My office stands ready to assist local, state, and federal authorities in hunting down and compelling the attendance of anyone who abandons their office and their constituents for cheap political theater.”
If Democrats ignore their duty to their constituents by breaking quorum, they should be found and arrested no matter where they go. The people of Texas elected them to do a job, not run away and hide like cowards. Lawmakers must answer the special session call and pass the… https://t.co/sxLvZCIOB1
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) July 15, 2025
Abbott and Paxton are indeed invoking a tone that they are not playing games this time around. It seems reasonable that any lawmaker who refuses to do their job should be subject to removal or a stiff penalty of some kind.
You can not have Democrats stomping their little feet and walking away every time a vote comes up that they don’t like. If they keep getting away with it, it’ll just be a matter of time before their colleagues in other states try the same sad stunt over and over again.
As with any unruly child, there must be consequences for poor behavior or they will never learn.
In the end, this stunt is all about the attention, the narcissism, the self-adulation. It’s embarrassing. And Abbott needs to bring the full weight of the law down on anyone who continues playing these games.
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