In an escalation in the Texas redistricting battle, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott filed an emergency petition Aug. 5 seeking to remove the Democratic House leader from office after lawmakers fled en masse to block efforts to redraw the state's congressional districts.
More than 50 Democratic lawmakers left the Lone Star State on Aug. 3 to deny Republicans the quorum needed to vote on the redistricting plan sought by President Donald Trump. By redrawing the state's 38 congressional districts, the Republican Party hopes to flip five U.S. congressional seats currently held by Democrats in next year's midterm elections.
Abbott filed the lawsuit with the Texas Supreme Court to have state Rep. Gene Wu removed from office, arguing that Wu and other House Democrats who fled the state "constitute abandonment of their office, justifying their removal."
The governor further alleged that Wu and the Democrats "appear to have solicited and received certain benefits in exchange for skipping a vote, further supporting their removal from office and allegations of bribery." Abbott has ordered the Texas Rangers to investigate whether the Democrats violated bribery laws.
"Representative Wu and the other Texas House Democrats have shown a willful refusal to return, and their absence for an indefinite period of time deprives the House of the quorum needed to meet and conduct business on behalf of Texans," Abbott said in a statement. "Texas House Democrats abandoned their duty to Texans, and there must be consequences."
