Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that the Texas House of Representatives reached quorum after Democrat lawmakers who had left the state returned. The Democrats had previously departed Texas in an effort to block legislative action.
âDemocrats have ended their political temper tantrum after cowardly fleeing the state,â said Attorney General Paxton. âAfter utilizing the full force of the law to apply legal pressure to these rogue runaways, enough Texas House Democrats have come back because they knew this was frivolous political theater the entire time. We wonât tolerate political cowardice. We held the line, and they folded.â
Paxton led efforts to hold absent lawmakers accountable by pursuing judicial orders vacating the seats of thirteen Democrats who left Texas. He also obtained a restraining order against Robert Francis OâRourke and his group, Powered by People, over allegations that they unlawfully offered incentives for breaking quorum. According to Paxton, when OâRourke violated this court order, he filed a motion for contempt.
Paxton and Speaker Dustin Burrows also took steps to enforce Quorum Warrants in Illinois and California with the goal of arresting Democratic legislators who had relocated there. Additionally, Paxton launched an investigation into Texas Majority PAC regarding concerns about possible illegal financial influence aimed at encouraging Democrats to break quorum.
Attorney General Paxton stated that he will continue litigation and investigations related to actions taken during the quorum break.
