38 h. ago Texas attorney general seeks jail for O’Rourke as senate passes Republican

Ken Paxton asks judge to fine and jail ex-congressman for defying order to halt political fundraisingThe Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton, has asked a local judge to consider jailing Beto O’Rourke, saying the former congressman was openly defying a judicial order blocking him and his political group from fundraising and paying the costs of Democrats who left the state to stop Republicans from passing a new congressional map.Tarrant county district judge Megan Fahey granted a request from Paxton last week halting O’Rourke and a group aligned with him, Powered by People, from fundraising. The order bars the group from using funds to pay the costs of Texas lawmakers during the special session or paying the $500 daily fines the lawmakers face for each time they are absent. Continue reading...

Politics

47 h. ago Some Democrats want to use gerrymandering. That’s a bad idea | Carlo Invernizzi

When a house is on fire, more fire won’t helpWhen Texas Republicans unveiled yet another contorted congressional map last week – one that would all but erase Austin’s Latino-led seat and increase the Republican party’s federal House tally by up to five seats in total – the outcry from Democrats was immediate and justified. But beyond the Democratic state legislators’ brave effort to stymie the proposal by boycotting the vote, a different refrain has also been heard by leading Democrats in other states: if they do it, why can’t we?Governor Gavin Newsom of California has vowed to “fight fire with fire”, advancing a proposal that would redraw California’s own congressional map to offset Republican gains in Texas. New York’s Kathy Hochul has also embraced the prospect of aggressive gerrymandering in Democratic-controlled states, sidestepping the independent commissions that Democrats themselves had once championed and successfully implemented in both California and New York. Continue re...

Politics

6 d. ago Democrats condemn Texas senator over alleged FBI role in locating lawmakers

John Cornyn claims FBI agreed to help return Democrats to state, sparking backlash amid GOP map pushUS politics live – latest updatesDemocrats harshly criticized Donald Trump and Republicans on Thursday after a US senator said the FBI had agreed to assist in locating Texas Democratic lawmakers who left the state to block Republicans from enacting a gerrymandered congressional map that would likely add five more Republican seats before next year’s midterm elections.Senator John Cornyn’s claim that the FBI would 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. None of the lawmakers have been charged with a crime. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Texas Democrats receive bomb threat in escalating standoff over redistricting

Lawmakers had been sheltering in Illinois after denying Texas Republicans quorum for gerrymandering schemeTexas Democrats who left the state say they experienced a bomb threat at their Illinois hotel on Wednesday morning amid an ongoing clash with Republicans over their effort to block a new congressional map from going into place.John Bucy III, a Democrat who represents Austin in the state legislature, confirmed the threat on X on Wednesday and said the lawmakers were evacuated. “This is what happens when Republican state leaders publicly call for us to be ‘hunted down’. Texas Democrats won’t be intimidated,” he said. Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago Texas senator asks FBI to help locate and arrest Democrats for leaving state

John Cornyn ramps us gerrymandering showdown between lawmakers and Trump administration seeking GOP seatsThe US senator John Cornyn of Texas has asked the FBI to aid Texas law enforcement in locating and arresting Democrats who left the state to forestall a plan sought by Donald Trump to aggressively redraw the state’s congressional map in a way that could help Republicans keep their House majority after the 2026 midterm elections.The senator’s request is a significant escalation in the fast-moving showdown that could set up a confrontation between the blue state leaders shielding the Democratic state lawmakerss and the Trump administration. Earlier on Tuesday, Texas Democrats denied a legislative quorum for the second day in a row by scattering across the country, with many decamping to Chicago, Illinois, where the Democratic governor, JB Pritzker, has vowed to protect them. Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago America’s Most Wanted: Texas senator calls on FBI director Kash Patel to hunt down ‘fleeing’ Democrats

GOP accuses missing Texas Democrats of ‘bribery’ to justify rounding them up for blocking votes on gerrymandered congressional map

Politics

8 d. ago What does Texas redrawing its voting maps mean and why have Democrats left the state? Explained

At the behest of Donald Trump, the state is pushing to restructure congressional maps to add as many as five seats for RepublicansAt the insistence of Donald Trump, Republicans in Texas are pushing ahead with an effort to redraw their congressional map to pick up as many as five additional Republican seats.The decision has set off a cascading legal battle. State lawmakers have fled Texas as part of an effort to stop Republicans from passing the map. Democrats in other states have said they will retaliate, setting the stage for a nasty and prolonged redistricting tit-for-tat that could last for years. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago Texas House reconvenes without quorum as Democrats flee state

Lawmakers travel to Illinois, New York and elsewhere to stop vote on Republicans’ redistricting planUS politics – live updatesTexas Democrats in the state legislature denied its speaker a legislative quorum Monday by leaving the state, forestalling plans proposed by the White House to redistrict Texas’s congressional lines to more greatly favor Republicans.When the legislature gaveled in at 3pm local time on Monday, Republicans fell short of a quorum by eight votes after Democrats fled to Illinois, a legislative conference in Boston, New York and elsewhere. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago Texas House reconvenes without quorum as Democrats flee state to thwart Republicans’ redistricting plan

Lawmakers in Illinois, New York and elsewhere, stopping legislature from moving ahead with vote on maps proposalTexas Democrats in the state legislature denied its speaker a legislative quorum Monday by leaving the state, forestalling plans proposed by the White House to redistrict Texas’s congressional lines to more greatly favor Republicans.When the legislature gaveled in at 3pm local time on Monday, at least 51 Democrats were in Illinois, a legislative conference in Boston, New York and elsewhere. Democrats hold 62 of the 150 seats in the legislature’s lower chamber, so as long as at least 51 members remain out of Austin, the Texas legislature cannot move forward with any votes, including a plan to redraw the state’s congressional maps to give Republicans five more seats in Congress. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago Texas Democrats flee state to block GOP plan to redraw electoral map

Opposition lawmakers stage exodus to thwart Republican bid to redraw electoral map by denying them a quorum, inspiring incensed conservatives to call for their arrest

Politics

1 week ago Texas Democrats flee state to prevent vote on redrawing congressional map

About 30 lawmakers are headed to Illinois for a week to hinder Republicans’ redistricting plan pushed by TrumpTexas Democrats are fleeing the state to prevent a vote on Monday that could see five new Republican-leaning seats created in the House of Representatives.About 30 Democrats said they planned to flee to Illinois, where they plan to stay for a week, to thwart Republican efforts by denying them a quorum, or the minimum number of members to validate the vote’s proceedings. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Texas Democrats leave state to prevent vote on redrawing congressional map

About 30 lawmakers are headed to Illinois for a week to hinder Republicans’ redistricting plan pushed by TrumpTexas Democrats are leaving the state to prevent a vote on Monday that could see five new Republican-leaning seats created in the House of Representatives.About 30 Democrats said they planned to decamp to Illinois, where they plan to stay for a week, to thwart Republican efforts by denying them a quorum, or the minimum number of members to validate the vote’s proceedings. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Democratic lawmakers flee Texas to thwart Republican redistricting effort

A vote in the state legislature on Monday is aimed at bolstering Trump’s House majority in midterm elections

Politics

1 week ago Things to know about legislator walkouts as Texas Democrats flee state over a high

Texas Democrats are fleeing the state Sunday in an effort to keep Republicans from approving a new U.S. House map that could boost their slim congressional majority next year

Politics