Paxton says he’ll ask court to declare vacancies in seats of absent Dems

The Texas Tribune - Gov. Greg Abbott has warned Texas House Democrats that he would initiate removal proceedings if they do not return to Austin to pass the GOP’s proposed new congressional maps.

The Republican governor’s Sunday threat came after more than 50 Democrats left the state Sunday afternoon so the Texas House would not have the necessary number of members present to pass legislation.

“This truancy ends now,” Abbott said in a letter sent to each of the departed members, telling them to return to the Texas Capitol by 3 p.m. Monday.

In threatening to remove the elected officials from office, Abbott cited a nonbinding 2021 legal opinion from Attorney General Ken Paxton, who said it would be up to a court to decide whether a lawmaker who had left the state to deny quorum had forfeited their office.