'He's scared': Texas senator ripped on MSNBC after 'cowardly and embarrassing' move
Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) tore into Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) on MSNBC's "All In" Friday evening, after the senator announced he had activated the FBI to hunt down Democratic Texas state legislators who left the state to break quorum and obstruct the GOP from passing an aggressive re-gerrymander of the state's congressional districts.
It's unclear exactly what the FBI will do and what powers they would have to track down Democratic lawmakers, as they have not been charged with either a state or federal crime.
But the mere threat is shameful, Casar, whose district is one of five targeted by the GOP redraw, told anchor Ali Velshi.
"John Cornyn, who was once sort of considered a moderate, now showing that because he's scared he might lose an upcoming primary, he's now calling on the FBI to go arrest Democratic elected officials when there's been no crime committed, when the FBI should be going after terrorists or drug traffickers," said Casar. "Instead, he wants to send them after his political opponents."
"I mean, it's just cowardly and embarrassing," he added. "And I think it would be sad if it weren't also so dangerous."
As all of this is going on, Gov. Greg Abbott and state Attorney General Ken Paxton have filed their own measures urging the state Supreme Court to declare the seats of various Democrats who left the state vacant, which attorneys representing the lawmakers have hit back on with a lengthy filing arguing this is an illegal abuse of power.