Illinois Governor JB Pritzker stated that the FBI would not be welcome to pursue Texas lawmakers who fled to his state to delay a redistricting vote. Pritzker argued that since the Texas lawmakers did not break any federal law, the FBI does not have jurisdiction to intervene. Senator John Cornyn of Texas disagreed and requested the FBI’s assistance in locating or arresting the lawmakers who fled Texas.
Pritzker dismissed Cornyn’s plea as political theater and criticized Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for challenging his U.S. Senate seat. He also took aim at President Donald Trump and Texas Governor Greg Abbott, accusing them of not following the law.
Abbott called a special session to advance a congressional redistricting plan that could potentially add five new Republican-leaning House seats before the upcoming midterms. Meanwhile, more than 50 Democratic lawmakers from Texas fled the state to prevent a quorum in the Texas House.
Pritzker, along with California Governor Gavin Newsom and New York Governor Kathy Hochul, offered sanctuary to the Texas Democrats and praised their actions as a fight to uphold democracy. In response, Texas Republicans voted to issue civil arrest warrants and daily fines for the Democratic lawmakers who abandoned their duties.
Former President Trump suggested that the FBI may need to intervene in the situation. He argued that Democratic states, including Massachusetts, California, and Illinois, have already engaged in redistricting to benefit their own party, and Republicans will do the same.
Trump criticized Pritzker for his actions in Illinois and claimed that the state’s redistricting is gerrymandered. He also highlighted similar issues in California and expressed his desire to gain more seats in Congress from the state of Texas.
