Cornyn Says FBI Will Do Republicans’ Bidding and Hunt Texas Democrats

The FBI has agreed to help hunt down Texas Democratic lawmakers, according to Republican Senator John Cornyn, who made the request.

“I am proud to announce that Director Kash Patel has approved my request for the FBI to assist state and local law enforcement in locating runaway Texas House Democrats,” Cornyn said in a statement Thursday. “I thank President Trump and Director Patel for supporting and swiftly acting on my call for the federal government to hold these supposed lawmakers accountable.”

The Texan Democrats fled their state in an attempt to prevent Republicans from drawing new districts to help their own party gain more seats in the House. Many Democrats are currently sheltering in New York and Illinois, and they’ve advertised their whereabouts.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker doesn’t believe that the FBI has any grounds to arrest the state lawmakers—they’re not doing anything illegal under federal law—but figures the federal law enforcement agents may attempt to intimidate the representatives.

“The FBI agents might show up just to, I don’t know, again, to put a show on,” he said Wednesday.

There have been no criminal warrants filed against the Texan Democrats, though the speaker of the Texas House has issued civil warrants in an attempt to force the lawmakers to return. Cornyn requested assistance from the FBI in a letter on Tuesday, asking for federal assistance in the enforcement of a state issue rather than alleging a federal crime had been committed.

“Governor Abbott and Texas state law enforcement officers are doing what they can within the confines of the law, but federal help may be necessary,” Cornyn wrote.

So far, it’s not clear whether the FBI has taken action in the case. But it could spark a conflict between the Trump administration and Illinois electeds, as the redistricting war grows into a larger battle between Democratic state leaders and the Republican administration.