AUSTIN, TEXAS — State GOP leaders are taking legal action in California, looking to enforce arrest warrants against Texas Democrats who fled the state over congressional redistricting.
A legal complaint was filed by Attorney General Ken Paxton and House Speaker Dustin Burrows.
"Texans are fed up with lawmakers who refuse to do their jobs and instead run away to states like California," Paxton said in a news release.
Texas Democrats left the state almost one week ago, in an effort to stall the Republican-led redistricting effort. On Friday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi held a news conference with the Texas Democrats backing their walkout.
“We are trying to defend democracy, as opposed to see it destroyed district by district,” Newsom said. “There are no rules for Donald Trump.”
Speaker Burrows issued arrest warrants on Monday, when the Democrats left and broke quorum. A similar complaint has already been filed in Illinois.
