Texas redistricting feud escalates as Democrats face bomb and FBI threats

A dispute over a plan to re-draw electoral boundaries within the US state of Texas has escalated once more after a senator mentioned the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had agreed to assist discover Democrats who’ve fled the state.

The FBI wouldn’t verify whether or not they agreed to assist and the senator, Republican John Cornyn of Texas, didn’t specify what sort of help the FBI would supply.

It comes a day after some Democrats had been compelled to evacuate a resort the place they had been staying in Illinois, as they protest Republicans’ efforts to vary the map of congressional districts

Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump mentioned the FBI “may” should become involved.

Sen Cornyn mentioned in a press release that FBI Director Kash Patel had “approved my request for the FBI to assist state and local law enforcement in locating runaway Texas House Democrats”.

On Tuesday, Sen Cornyn wrote to the FBI asking it to become involved, saying he was “concerned that legislators who solicited or accepted funds to aid in their efforts to avoid their legislative duties may be guilty of bribery or other public corruption offenses,”.

It is just not clear whether or not federal officers had been already concerned within the seek for greater than 50 state lawmakers who’ve left Texas. The location of lots of them is well-known. On Tuesday they held a press convention in a Chicago-area resort decrying the gerrymandering try.

The escalation comes in the future after a bomb risk was known as right into a resort the place among the Democrats had been staying.

“This morning, a threat was made against the safety of the members of the Texas House Democratic Caucus,” Texas House Democrats wrote on Twitter. “We are safe, we are secure, and we are undeterred. We are grateful for Governor Pritzker, local, and state law enforcement for their quick action to ensure our safety.”

On Tuesday, Trump was requested whether or not the FBI ought to become involved within the matter, and replied “they may have to”, including “it almost looks like [Democrats have] abandoned the state”.

“I know they want them back. Not only the attorney general, the governor wants them back,” Trump mentioned. “So a lot of people have demanded they come back. You can’t just sit it out. You have to go back. You have to fight it out. That’s what elections are all about.”

The transfer to flee the state is a part of a tactic to dam a vote within the Texas House on redistricting. The proposal by Republicans would create 5 extra Republican-leaning seats within the US House of Representatives, the place the occasion holds a slim majority.

At least two-thirds of the 150-member state legislative physique in Texas should be current to proceed with the vote. The quorum is unreachable whereas they’re out of the state.

Texas Democrats have mentioned the state’s governor and Republicans are attempting to silence them.

Gene Wu, chairman of the Texas House Democratic Caucus, has accused Greg Abbott of in search of to “silence my dissent by removing a duly-elected official from office”, and argued “my constitutional duty is to not be a willing participant”.