{"id":2472479,"date":"2025-08-08T13:55:02","date_gmt":"2025-08-08T17:55:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/govs-harbor-texas-fugitives-to-help-democrats-control-congress\/"},"modified":"2025-08-08T13:56:54","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T17:56:54","slug":"govs-harbor-texas-fugitives-to-help-democrats-control-congress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/govs-harbor-texas-fugitives-to-help-democrats-control-congress\/","title":{"rendered":"Govs Harbor Texas Fugitives To Help Democrats Control Congress"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgovs-harbor-texas-fugitives-to-help-democrats-control-congress%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2472479&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The summary concerns a political standoff in Texas where over 50 Democrat members of the Texas house fled the state to prevent a quorum and block the passage of a new redistricting map favoring Republicans. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has offered them safe harbor,even hosting a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gov-whitmer-media-caught-in-another-lie-anarchist-arrested-for-plot-to-kidnap-and-kill-whitmer-hates-president-trump-trump-is-a-tyrant-video\/\" title=\".... Whitmer, Media Caught in Another Lie - Anarchist Arrested For Plot to Kidnap and Kill Whitmer Hates President Trump, &#039;Trump is a Tyrant&#039; (VIDEO)\">press conference<\/a> promising protection. The redistricting battle is crucial because the new map could give Republicans an advantage in Texas congressional seats, impacting control of the U.S. House during the latter part of the Trump administration. Texas Governor Greg Abbott condemned the Democrats&#8217; actions as illegal,warning that anyone aiding them could <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/belarusian-authorities-raid-homes-and-offices-of-journalists-and-activists\/\" title=\"Belarusian Authorities Raid Homes And Offices Of Journalists And Activists\">face criminal charges<\/a>. Civil arrest warrants have been issued, but they are only enforceable within Texas, and the Democrats fled to states with supportive Democrat governors like Illinois and New York, where governors have also shown support. Abbott has petitioned the Texas Supreme Court to remove some lawmakers from office due to dereliction of duty. The standoff recalls a similar event in 2021 and could extend until the early 2026 primary. There is discussion about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/harmeet-dhillon-upends-doj-civil-rights-division-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Harmeet Dhillon upends DOJ Civil Rights Division - Washington Examiner\">involving federal authorities<\/a>, such as the FBI and U.S. Marshals, to enforce warrants and bring back the absent lawmakers. The situation reflects growing tensions and defiance between Democrat-led states and Republican-controlled ones in the U.S.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/08\/04\/nx-s1-5492114\/quorum-break-texas-democrats-walkout\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">exodus<\/a> of more than 50 Democrat members of the Texas House to block a quorum in Austin is bad enough. Even worse is how the Democrat Governor of Illinois, <a href=\"https:\/\/phyllisschlafly.com\/constitution\/illinois-assault-weapons-ban-signed-into-law\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">J.B. Pritzker<\/a>, has essentially promised them safe harbor, appearing with them at a <a href=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/homenews\/state-watch\/5438855-pritzker-colbert-illinois-map\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">press conference<\/a> on Sunday while declaring, &ldquo;we&rsquo;re going to do everything we can to protect&rdquo; them.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/phyllisschlafly.com\/constitution\/the-party-of-retribution\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Control of the U.S. House<\/a> for the second half of the Trump administration hangs in the balance, as the redistricting map to be voted on in Austin would give Republicans a good chance of winning five of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/2025\/07\/30\/texas-redistricting-congressional-maps-house-republicans\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">13 Texas congressional seats<\/a> they don&rsquo;t currently hold. Illinois already gerrymandered its House maps to help Democrats win <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcchicago.com\/news\/local\/chicago-politics\/illinois-officials-face-pushback-over-texas-gerrymandering-criticisms\/3804336\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">14 out of its 17<\/a> seats, so it is <a href=\"https:\/\/phyllisschlafly.com\/constitution\/stop-letting-leftists-drive-redistricting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">hypocritical<\/a> for them to claim unfairness in Texas.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps Illinois was chosen because its Democrat governor is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/2025\/08\/03\/texas-democrats-quorum-break-redistricting-map\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reportedly<\/a> helping the Texas Democrats &ldquo;find lodging and meeting spaces.&rdquo;<strong> <\/strong>During a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ny-gov-cuomo-shunned-experts-embraced-lobbyists-drove-top-health-officials-to-quit-over-pandemic-response-report\/\" title=\"NY .... Cuomo Shunned Experts, Embraced Lobbyists, Drove Top Health Officials To Quit Over Pandemic Response: Report\">recent press conference<\/a>, Pritzker <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=P8Si8sMOP68\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">denied<\/a> that he was writing them checks but said he was not against doing it.<\/p>\n<p>Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/2025\/08\/04\/texas-redistricting-democrats-quorum-break-live-updates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">observed<\/a> on Tuesday morning that &ldquo;I got the highest vote in the history of Texas. And we are entitled to five more seats&rdquo; in Congress from Texas. Ironically, Texas has an enormous congressional delegation of 38 seats. This is no doubt thanks in part to Democrats&rsquo; insistence on including <a href=\"https:\/\/phyllisschlafly.com\/national-sovereignty\/no-borders-no-nation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">illegal aliens<\/a> in the census, used to allocate seats among the states. Multiple Democrat congressmen from Texas could lose their seats next year under the new redistricting plan.<\/p>\n<p>Texas Gov. Greg Abbott <a href=\"https:\/\/gov.texas.gov\/news\/post\/governor-abbott-statement-on-house-democratic-quorum-break#:~:text=In%20addition%20to%20abandoning%20their,to%20fleeing%20Democrat%20House%20members.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a> in a Sunday statement that the Democrat lawmakers&rsquo; &ldquo;absences were premeditated for an illegitimate purpose.&rdquo; He cited the state constitution, saying, &ldquo;When the Governor calls a Special Session, our Constitution provides that the &lsquo;Legislature shall meet.&#8217;&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>He continued, stating, &ldquo;Any Democrat who &lsquo;solicits, accepts or agrees to accept&rsquo; &hellip; funds to assist in the violation of legislative duties or for purposes of skipping a vote may have violated bribery laws.&rdquo; Abbott <a href=\"https:\/\/gov.texas.gov\/uploads\/files\/press\/08.03.2025_Quorum_Break_Statement_.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">added<\/a> that any person who &ldquo;offers, confers, or agrees to confer&rdquo; money to &ldquo;fleeing Democrat House members&rdquo; could also be charged with a crime.<\/p>\n<p>In 2021, Democrat House members likewise fled Austin to frustrate a quorum and block passage of new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/2021\/09\/01\/texas-voting-bill-greg-abbott\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">voting integrity measures<\/a>, including voter ID. That blockade lasted through the first and into the second special session. When three Houston Democrats <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/2025\/08\/03\/texas-quorum-breaks-history\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">returned<\/a>, a quorum was established, and the bill passed. A court struck down <a href=\"https:\/\/www.democracydocket.com\/news-alerts\/federal-judge-strikes-down-portions-of-texas-voter-suppression-law-s-b-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">portions<\/a> of the bill, but on Monday, the Fifth Circuit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ca5.uscourts.gov\/opinions\/pub\/23\/23-50885-CV0.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Court of Appeals<\/a> ruled that its mail ballot ID number requirement easily complies with federal law.<\/p>\n<p>In the Texas House, a quorum requires the presence of two-thirds, or 100, of the 150 representatives. The legislative session on Monday <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/2025\/08\/04\/texas-democrats-house-warrants-arrest-quorum-break\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fell 10 votes short of a quorum<\/a>, according to the Texas Tribune.<\/p>\n<p>Civil arrest warrants were then <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/2025\/08\/04\/texas-democrats-house-warrants-arrest-quorum-break\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ordered<\/a> under Texas law because of the dereliction of duty by Democrats, but these warrants are only enforceable in Texas. The state governors could approve an extradition request, but the Democrat lawmakers all fled to states with Democrat governors. <\/p>\n<p>Democrat Texas Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/us-election-2026-texas-redistricting-136cfeddc717f9fc69337bd3d39b1819\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a>, &ldquo;We recognized when we got on the plane that we&rsquo;re in this for the long haul,&rdquo; according to the Associated Press. Fellow Texas House Democrat Caucus Chair Gene Wu observed that he and his colleagues &ldquo;will do whatever it takes.&rdquo; Notably, Abbott <a href=\"https:\/\/www.democracydocket.com\/news-alerts\/gov-abbott-asks-court-to-expel-leading-democrat-over-redistricting-protest\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">filed<\/a> an emergency petition with the Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday to remove Wu from office. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/2025\/08\/07\/greg-abbott-texas-democrats-quorum-break-supreme-court-removal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">According<\/a> to the Texas Tribune, the justices gave Wu until the end of the day on Friday to respond, and this &ldquo;test case &hellip; could eventually allow [Abott] to remove every member who left the state.&rdquo; Wu <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/08\/08\/nx-s1-5495524\/texas-redistricting-democrats-gene-wu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">called<\/a> the move &ldquo;meaningless&rdquo; in an interview with NPR.<\/p>\n<p>If Abbott&rsquo;s threat of potentially prosecuting those who aid fugitive Democrats is ignored, then they <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/george-soros-beto-orourke-behind-funding-dems-fleeing-texas-over-gop-congressional-map\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">could have the financial resources<\/a> to stay away for many months, whereupon it would be too late to redistrict. Texas has an early primary <a href=\"https:\/\/ballotpedia.org\/Texas_elections,_2026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">scheduled<\/a> for March 3, 2026. The House will attempt quorum again <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/live-news\/texas-democrats-redistricting-house-quorum-08-08-25\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Friday afternoon<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Defiance of <a href=\"https:\/\/phyllisschlafly.com\/constitution\/judicial-supremacy\/blue-states-and-left-leaning-legal-havens\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Democrat-controlled states<\/a> against Republican ones is growing. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has separately <a href=\"https:\/\/www.governor.ny.gov\/news\/statement-governor-kathy-hochul-96\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">opposed<\/a> a request by Texas to enforce a judgment against an abortion provider in New York, who was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texasattorneygeneral.gov\/news\/releases\/attorney-general-ken-paxton-takes-legal-action-against-new-york-county-clerk-stopping-radical\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sued<\/a> for prescribing the abortion drug to someone in Texas.<\/p>\n<p>Gov. Hochul welcomed the Texas legislators who fled to New York and even held a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=YWlScjrFrp0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">press conference<\/a> with them. She blamed this on the same person that New York Democrats repeatedly try to <a href=\"https:\/\/phyllisschlafly.com\/featured-top\/half-trans-half-free-blue-states-defy-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">scapegoat<\/a>: Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<p>There are 30-day limits on <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >special legislative sessions<\/a> in Texas, such that the current one must end by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/politics\/live-news\/texas-democrats-redistricting-quorum-08-04-25\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Aug. 19<\/a>. Abbott can call as many new special sessions as it takes.<\/p>\n<p>U.S. Marshals, the federal equivalent of sheriffs, typically handle federal warrants but also help in capturing and returning fugitives. (In the acclaimed movie <em>The Fugitive<\/em>, 1993, Tommy Lee Jones won an Oscar for portraying a U.S. Marshal chasing after a state-crime fugitive, played by Harrison Ford.)<\/p>\n<p>Abbott could request U.S. Marshals&rsquo; assistance to return the renegade Texas Democrats who skipped town. Abbott has not yet publicly made this request, perhaps because of Texas&rsquo; pride in its independence, but Attorney General <a href=\"https:\/\/phyllisschlafly.com\/featured-top\/lawfare-versus-trump-and-our-country\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pam Bondi<\/a> could lead by stating her willingness to help.<\/p>\n<p>As of Thursday, multiple outlets reported while citing GOP Sen. Tom Cornyn, R-Texas, that the FBI agreed to his request &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/08\/07\/us\/politics\/texas-redistricting-cornyn-fbi.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">to help track down<\/a>&rdquo; the Democrat lawmakers. <a href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Politics\/texas-democrats-face-republican-deadline-stop-standoff-face\/story?id=124480936\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">According<\/a> to ABC News, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows also &ldquo;sent a memo to all members and their staff&rdquo; on Thursday notifying them that absent lawmakers&rsquo; direct deposits were suspended and they must pick up their paychecks in person. <\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      John and Andy Schlafly are sons of Phyllis Schlafly (1924-2016) and lead the continuing Phyllis Schlafly Eagles organizations with writing and policy work.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Over 50 Texas Democrats flee; Illinois governor offers support<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3946,"featured_media":2472480,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/48525043906_40e7de7e7a_k.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[4402,3685,54216,5894,3694],"class_list":["post-2472479","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-congress","tag-democrats","tag-fugitives","tag-politics","tag-texas"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/48525043906_40e7de7e7a_k.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2472479","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3946"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2472479"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2472479\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2472483,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2472479\/revisions\/2472483"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2472480"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2472479"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2472479"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2472479"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}