Texas Dems Who Fled Could Face Felony Bribery Charges, Governor Says
Texas Democrats who left the state to obstruct redistricting efforts may be confronted with felony bribery charges, according to Republican Governor Greg Abbott in an interview with Fox News Digital.
As some absent Democrats reportedly intend to return in time for a second special legislative session set to commence next week, Abbott, who has previously held the position of state attorney general and served on the state supreme court, informed Fox News that Texas is examining whether they breached anti-bribery statutes by accepting funds to disrupt quorum.
“There had been some identification of some people paying for it,” Abbott clarified. “I must inform you, it raises a significant legal issue for these officeholders, which is, they were promised money if they did break quorum. That would constitute a bribe that could result in a felony charge.”
Abbott disclosed that Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is probing the potential for felony bribery charges against the Democratic legislators.
“That is also an issue that the Texas attorney general is investigating and has even secured a temporary injunction from a court to prevent any further funds from being provided to these House members due to the possible bribery implications,” the governor elaborated.
Last Friday, Tarrant County District Judge Megan Fahey issued a temporary restraining order against Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke and his organization, Powered by People, for purported “unlawful fundraising practices” associated with efforts to assist Texas Democrats who left the state, including financing for air travel, accommodation, logistics, and daily penalties.
Fahey’s ruling forbids O’Rourke and his allies from continuing to fundraise or provide financial support to the departing Texas Democrats.
In the order, Fahey stated that “defendants have engaged and will continue to engage in unlawful fundraising practices and the misuse of political funds in a manner that either directly contravenes or compels Texas Democratic Legislators to breach [the law]” and that contributors to the organization “have suffered and continue to suffer irreparable harm due to these unlawful actions as they are making political contributions that are being utilized to cover personal expenses and violate state law.”
In this context, Abbott cautioned that “these House members will not only face the repercussions of their absence but will also have to contend with possible bribery charges against them.”
On Tuesday, the Texas Senate approved the redistricting package that has incited outrage among Democrats. If it receives approval from both chambers of the Texas legislature and is signed into law by Abbott, the new districting plan for Texas is projected to provide Republicans with an additional five seats in Congress. Currently, only the dissenting House Democrats obstruct this process.
Abbott mentioned that he has Texas law enforcement “searching the streets of Texas at this moment to determine if there are any Democrats still present in the state. If they are found, they will be arrested and brought to the Texas Capitol to establish a quorum.”
“There are 88 Republicans who are prepared and ready to work. We require 12 Democrats to attend. Therefore, we are seeking 12 Democrats within the state of Texas, or if they are all out of state, we are attempting to locate them and, as you noted, utilizing federal officials and others to aid us in that endeavor,” he remarked.
On Monday, California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom called on President Donald Trump to “contact Greg Abbott and instruct him to stand down.”
Conversely, Abbott has expressed that such criticisms from Democrats do not affect him.
“Listen, the Democrats in various states are entirely out of control,” he stated to Fox News Digital. “They have been involved in gerrymandering for many years in California, Illinois, New York, and other locations, and they have lost connection with the populace.”
He emphasized that Texas’ redistricting efforts comply with legal standards, clarifying, “What has occurred here is that the law in Texas was amended last year, allowing the state to redraw these boundaries due to a legal modification that eliminates the need for coalition districts.”
“Thus, we can delineate these districts in a manner that aligns representatives with the values of Texas voters,” he remarked, further stating, “Our objective in this state is to ensure that the districts are represented by individuals who genuinely reflect the interests of these voters.”