As Twitchy reported earlier, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott put out a statement Monday threatening to vacate the seats of all of the absent Democrats who've fled to Illinois to deny Republicans a quorum to vote on a redistricting plan. As we also reported, the House passed a motion to issue arrest warrants for the runaway Democrats.
🚨BREAKING—Texas House locks chamber doors.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) August 4, 2025
Lawmakers approve a motion to issue arrest warrants for Democrats who fled the state to block GOP’s redistricting plan.pic.twitter.com/LcyzWyNgAk
Some representatives fled to Illinois of all places, while others decided to hole up in New York. The governors of both states held press conferences with the runaway Democrats, and Rep. Jolanda Jones said she's a lawyer and Abbott has no legal mechanism to arrest them.
Note this was posted by the respected X account, FactPost, which just posts facts, so you know this is true.
Texas Rep. @JonesJolanda on Abbott's arrest threats: I'm a lawyer. There is no felony in the Texas penal code for what he says. Respectfully, he's making up some shit, okay? He has no legal mechanism. He's putting up smoke and mirrors. pic.twitter.com/xfXK4eDxoV
— FactPost (@factpostnews) August 4, 2025
We’ll see 🍿
— RH (@RH03205906) August 4, 2025
Tick tock.
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) August 4, 2025
Accountability is coming. You aren't staying in NY forever @JonesJolanda.
Guess we’ll know soon enough
— Standing on top of the World (@washitallawayf5) August 4, 2025
Test him. Please.
— Charlie Murphy (@DeLaMurphy) August 4, 2025
Always classy
— Smackover (@Smackover7) August 4, 2025
Jones might be wrong;
— NuBeeLuna (@NuBeeLuna) August 4, 2025
Texas House can issue civil arrest warrants for quorum under Article III, Section 10 and House Rule 5, Section 8, despite no criminal felony.
Practical enforcement outside Texas is challenging, but legal basis within Texas is strong.
✌️🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/REQgg2j2Hj
She’s a bad fkn lawyer then!! 🤣
— Jammles (@jammles9) August 4, 2025
This is in the Texas constitution.
The Texas House can issue civil arrest warrants for absent Democrats to ensure a quorum for voting on redistricting, based on constitutional rules.
The Speaker can order law enforcement to return them.
The felony is bribery if they accept an outside offer to pay their fine for skipping out. They were offered a BRIBE to not show up for work.
— Mad Hatter (@alicehatter321) August 4, 2025
This fool has not been a lawyer for years. Second, she is full of shit, the Texas supreme court gave him the authority the last time these fuck nuts pulled the garbage.
— Donkey the Wise (@DavidTinch2) August 4, 2025
Yeah. Laws and shit, yo.
— Lyrical Hotstepper (@Wizzard_Sleeve) August 4, 2025
Just a couple of days ago, they were saying how hard this was for them, packing up and leaving their families. But it sounds like they'd better get used to living in Chicago and New York.
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