Democrats slam Texas senator Cornyn over alleged FBI role in locating fleeing lawmakers

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Guardian

Thu 7 Aug 2025 13.27 EDT
First published on Thu 7 Aug 2025 10.43 EDT


Democrats harshly criticized Donald Trump and fellow Republicans on Thursday after a US senator said the FBI had agreed to assist in returning Texas Democratic lawmakers who fled the state to stop a Republican effort to redistrict. US senator John Cornyn’s claim that the FBI will assist Republicans’ effort could not be independently confirmed. The FBI declined to comment.

An administration official told NBC News this week the government did not plan on using federal agents to arrest Texas lawmakers and a federal law enforcement official told the outlet that as of Thursday morning, the agency had not assisted with trying to locate the lawmakers. The Texas lawmakers who fled the state earlier this week to block Republicans’ effort to add five more seats to the state maps are currently staying at a hotel in suburban Chicago.

Speaking to reporters at the Illinois state fair on Thursday, Democratic governor JB Pritzker said he welcomed the FBI to the state. “I hope they take in the state fair, I hope they go see the beauty of Lake Michigan. But they won’t be arresting anyone because there is no US federal law that prohibits those Texas House Democrats from being here in the state,” he told reporters.

Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader in the US House, called it an effort to intimidate Democrats. “Shouldn’t the FBI be tracking down terrorists, drug traffickers and child predators? The Trump administration continues to weaponize law enforcement to target political adversaries. These extremists don’t give a damn about public safety. We will not be intimidated,” he said in a post on X.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/07/jd-vance-indiana-redistricting-midterms

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Link to tweet

Hakeem Jeffries
@hakeemjeffries
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Shouldn’t the FBI be tracking down terrorists, drug traffickers and child predators?

The Trump administration continues to weaponize law enforcement to target political adversaries.

These extremists don’t give a damn about public safety.

We will not be intimidated.

[Walleye]

1. Ha, the premier investigative law-enforcement agency in the world

The FBI can’t even figure out who planted the bombs in Washington on January 5, 2021. I’m pretty sure they’ll be able to find those lawmakers in the hotel they’re staying at. don’t know what they intend to do at that point. We shall honor their subpoenas the way they honored ours.

[Frasier Balzov]

2. It's not even interstate fleeing of a state crime is it?

To the best of what I've been able to find out, it's not a violation of Texas law to not show up for work.

[tulipsandroses]

3. From what I understand, there may be civil penalties. So why is the FBI being asked to interfere in civil matters?

People need to really get out of the red team, blue team mindset and ask serious questions of our government.
Doesn't the FBI have more serious matters to tend to?
This would be a waste of tax payer money.

[walkingman]

4. Cornyn "Cornpone" is normally very quiet but because he is being challenged

by an even more vile Texan, Ken Paxton, I'm sure he feels the need to bring attention to himself. I'm hoping this obnoxious move by him will have a negative effect on the voters of Texas. Most people already have a negative opinion of Paxton because he is such a corrupt AG and hopefully this by Cornyn will open the door for his Democratic challenger next year.

This power grab by Texas is so shameful and nothing good can come from it. This is a good case of where we need Congress to step in and put a top to this otherwise our entire voting system is in jeopardy.

Hard to grasp how corrupt the politics have become in the US but it is real and seems to be getter worse by the day.

[Buddyzbuddy]

5. Just great, now who should we root for in the R-Senate primary?

Horses ass #1 or cyclops #2?
I say put them in the arena or vote for an actual horses ass.

[AntiFascist]

6. I wouldn't be surprised if FBI involvement was also discussed in yesterday's meeting in the White House...

including Blondi and Ka$h.

[MorbidButterflyTat]

7. "...fleeing lawmakers..."

"...Texas Democratic lawmakers who fled the state..."

This deliberately disingenuous bullshit making Dems sound like fugitives on the run pisses me off.

So does that fucking mummified MAGAt with the punchable face.

[summer_in_TX]

8. This precedent is a whole lot worse than it seems.

Opinion
JACK HOPKINS NOW

This Is Not a Drill: When the FBI Hunts Lawmakers for Political Resistance...You’re in a Coup

This is Phase One of federalized political repression:

Redistricting is weaponized; dissenters are illegal targets.
FBI becomes partisan enforcer…not neutral protector.
Next session: civil rights protests…voting access defenders…anti-gerrymandering groups…at risk of federal arrest orders.