AUSTIN - Attorney General Ken Paxton is asking Texas’ highest court to declare 13 Texas House seats vacant, as the Democrat legislators who usually sit them have yet to return to them.
Paxton
The Democrats fled the state in an effort to thwart a GOP-led redistricting effort.
On Friday, Paxton filed a petition for writs of quo warranto in the Supreme Court of Texas, requesting justices declare that the absent politicians have vacated their offices as state representatives.
“The Texas Constitution, statutes, and rules provide a broad range of tools for members of a legislative minority to be heard,” the petition states. “But those tools do not include concerted effort by members of the minority to disrupt the functioning of the Legislature by abdicating their duties, including spurning the constitutional authority of the remaining members to compel their attendance.
“When members of the Legislature disregard arrest warrants, refuse to perform their duties, and announce that they intend to prevent the Legislature from exercising its constitutional responsibilities, they have, through words and conduct, demonstrated an intent to relinquish and abandon their offices.”
This petition focuses on the Democrats who made public statements regarding their refusal to return.
Paxton says their conduct represents a flagrant abandonment of office, and that they are instead choosing to engage in politically motivated grandstanding from out-of-state locations.
“The rogue Democrat legislators who fled the state have abandoned their duties, leaving their seats vacant,” said Paxton. “These cowards deliberately sabotaged the constitutional process and violated the oath they swore to uphold. Their out-of-state rebellion cannot go unchecked, and the business of Texas must go on.
“I have asked the Texas Supreme Court to declare what has been clear from the beginning: that the runaway members have officially vacated their offices in the Texas House.”
In addition to the petition, Paxton and Speaker Dustin Burrows have moved to enforce arrest warrants in other states.
Paxton also launched an investigation into Powered by People and Texas Majority PAC for potentially operating an illegal financial influence scheme to bribe Democrats into breaking quorum.
Case No. 25-0687
