Topline
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is seeking to vacate 13 Texas House seats belonging to Democrats who fled the state last weekend in protest of a controversial redistricting vote anticipated to benefit the GOP, filing a lawsuit that marks the latest attempt at pressuring the Democrats to return to Texas and resume a quorum.
Paxton, who filed the lawsuit with the Texas Supreme Court, called the Democrats “cowards” in a statement, alleging their absence from the Texas House “sabotaged the constitutional process and violated the oath they swore to uphold.”
The lawsuit argues Democrats’ decision to not attend the vote demonstrates “an intent to relinquish and abandon their offices.”
Forbes has reached out to the Texas House Democratic Caucus for comment.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.